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5 Questions to Ask at an Open House From Julie Dempsey


Blog by Julie Dempsey | February 24th, 2026


5 Questions to Ask at an Open House

1) Ask the realtor about the seller's motivation for selling the home
2) Inquire about the duration the home has been on the market
3) Investigate any major home updates or renovations
4) Gather information about the neighbouring properties and residents
5) Determine if any additional items are included in the sale

Insights and Takeaways

- Understanding the seller's motivation can help with negotiation strategy
- Homes on the market for 30 days or more may indicate the seller's openness to negotiation
- Knowing about major home updates, such as the roof or furnace, is important information
- Insights about the neighbors can provide valuable context about the property
- Asking about additional items included in the sale can uncover potential deal-making opportunities

Conclusion and Decision

The key topics outlined provide a comprehensive set of questions to ask at an open house. By gathering this information, potential buyers can gain valuable insights that can inform their negotiation strategy and decision-making process. The insights and takeaways highlight the importance of these questions in understanding the property, the seller's motivations, and potential negotiation leverage. With this information, buyers can make a more informed decision about whether to pursue the property further.


Transcription

Here are five questions to ask at an open house. Number one, feel free to ask the Realtor, 'Why is the seller selling?' If you can learn the motivation of a seller, that will definitely help your negotiation strategy. Number two is, how long has the home been on the market for? If it's been on the market 30 days or more, chances are the seller's a bit more open to negotiating. If it has been on the market for 60 days, ask if there's been any offers yet and if the offer fell apart, it's really good to understand why. Question number three: have there been any big ticket items that have been updated? For example, the roof, the furnace, those kinds of things are really important to know. Number four: what are the neighbors like? Are there any insights? Are they in a rock band and practice in the garage? Are they really quiet and keep to themselves? And lastly, question number five: are there any additional items being included in the sale? You ask this question because you just never know the answer, and that could help you secure an awesome deal.