5 QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK

Heather Gunn
Apr 10, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Apr 10, 2023

Instead of "Why Are The Current Owners Selling"

This blog is inspired by a post I made on Instagram, where I suggested that it's not really any of your business why someone is selling their home. This can be a deeply personal question and sometimes relates to circumstances in life they would rather not share.

Generally when you're asking this question, you are actually trying to gather information to help you in your negotiations or to determine if the house is a fit for your family. So here are 5 questions you/your realtor can ask instead that may actually be MORE helpful in your goals.

So here's a good place to start. This is a great leading question to find out about motivation. And if they WANT to share info about why they are opening, it's an opportunity for them to do so. If they have already made a purchase, they are likely more motivated to get their home sold. You can also use information volunteered about if they have made a purchase to ask some follow up questions if you like (where did they buy is one that comes to mind that could satisfy curious minds as to a potential reason for their move)

This leads us to the next question:

Here's a follow up question to dig in a bit more. If they are very particular about their closing date, that may indicate they aren't able to carry two properties. If you can meet their date, you may be able to negotiate in other areas including the price.

If they are super flexible on the closing date, it could mean they are motivated to get an offer or that they don't have financial constraints on carrying two properties if needed.

You would be amazed what some agents will say when I ask this question and I just wait for them to answer. I've had agents fully throw their clients under the bus with pricing, condition etc. I've heard a similar question asked before "Was this your price or your clients' price" which aims to do the same thing.

Experienced agents likely will keep more tight-lipped with negative feedback but may give an indication on how much activity they have had or general challenges they have had with marketing the property.

If you're trying to figure out if someone is moving because there's something they don't like about the area, just be direct and ask. If you hear anything other than "the neighbours are amazing, I'm sad to leave them but we have to because__________" then maybe you want to investigate a bit further. Always pay close attention to the homes around the listing and come back at different times of day. Keep an ear out for loud dogs, look closely at the condition of their properties and the pride of ownership on the street.

Another example of how being direct is better than beating around the bush. Asking "why are you moving" is far too vague a question if you're trying to determine if it's because of issues with the home. Be as specific as possible. Sellers in Ontario don't have to volunteer information (except in specific cases) but they cannot lie if asked a direct question.

Here's a few to get you started:

"Have you had water damage in the basement"

"Are there issues with flooding in this area"

"Have you ever had pest issues in this home"

"Have you done any of the electrical or plumbing work yourself?"

I hope this was helpful! Having an experienced agent on your side who can help you ask the right questions about a home you're considering is probably the most important thing you can do if you're searching for a home. I'm here to help.