Questions To Ask When Viewing Prospective Ottawa Condos

Purchasing a Ottawa condo can be a daunting and stressful experience. Before putting pen on paper for a down payment, here are several important questions you should be asking.

Hear are some common questions you must always ask when you intend to buy real estate, though you should add your own questions and make your own list as well. As everyone will have their own needs and requirements when it comes to buying a condo, you should create your own personal list of questions that you can ask your Ottawa real estate agent. Remember, you are different from others and may have your own taste when it comes to owning a condo.

1. Do not hurry into making any decisions. The very first question you should ask is about what you want. What is the kind of condo you prefer? Do you want a big condo? What kind of facilities nearby would you like to have? If you are preparing to have a family in a couple of years, will the condo be big enough for your children? You should create you own list and have some persistence. If you are fickle-minded, you could regret your purchase decision if you do not feel comfortable in your own Ottawa condo later.

2. The second question you should be asking is the type of neighbourhood you want to reside in. Make a shortlist. This way you can find out if the price range within the area will fit your budget or if the condos offered for sale fit your requirements. Again, you do not want to end up buying a condo you could end up regretting.

3. Do not hurry into making any decisions. The very first question you should ask is about what you want. What is the kind of condo you prefer? Do you want a big condo? What kind of facilities nearby would you like to have? If you are preparing to have a family in a couple of years, will the condo be big enough for your children? You should create you own list and have some persistence. If you are fickle-minded, you could regret your purchase decision if you do not feel comfortable in your own condo later.

4. When you start viewing the condos for sale in Ottawa, you should ask about the period of time the condo has been up for sale. This way, you can negotiate the price if  the condo has been on the market for quite awhile. An owner that is keen to sell his condo will be more open to negotiating a deal if the condo has been put up for sale for quite a while without having found a buyer.

5. What is the age of the condo and how is the condition of the condo? Take note that most sellers spice up their condo with some refurbishing work when they intend to sell their condo so you should look out for signs of damage. To inspect for hidden damage you should hire a condo inspector to check the condo for you to ensure there is nothing wrong with it. It would be disastrous to buy a condo with structural damage.

6. You should also find out if the condo has been in escrow before and if yes, why did the sale not go through? Did the prospective buyer have issues with his finance or was there something amiss about the condo?

7. Are there any additional fees besides the price of the condo? Check to see if you will incur any extra costs, for example association fees, when you purchase it.

8. If you have school-age children or are planning a family, you should check out the nearby schools in the Ottawa neighbourhood. What kinds of schools are there and are they good schools? Also, check the crime rate statistics in the neighbourhood. Ask your agent for more information.

9. How much is the property tax for the condo? Find out early to avoid getting an unwelcome surprise when the property tax bill arrives in the mail. Many condo owners make the mistake of not checking and end up paying hefty property tax bills they could avoid.

10. Is the condo easily accessible? Find out the route to get to your condo if you are coming back from work or if you are out shopping. Is there only one way to get to the condo or are there several routes you can take to arrive safely condo? How long will it take for you to get to work everyday? This is really an important but often overlooked consideration when buying a new condo.

11. Is the neighbourhood noisy? What can be worse than waking up to noisy neighbours or having a busy road in front of your Ottawa property? If you are really keen to buy a certain condo, try to drive by the area on a weekday, a weekend, and in the mornings and evenings. Is the place serene and quiet or is it a busy neighbourhood? Another point to think about is whether your prospective condo will share a wall with someone else. Try to drop by when your potential neighbours are at condo to find out if they are a noisy bunch. Nothing is more valuable than having good neighbors when living in your own condo.

These are a few of the many questions you should be asking before you decide to buy a Ottawa condo. Hopefully, the questions listed above can kick start a series of questions you need to ask when viewing properties you intend to purchase.