The thought of investing in a new place to live can bring about every emotion from fear to excitement. While you may be excited to get a new home, you may also be feeling a little concerned about issues that do not automatically show during the initial buying process. To get a better idea of whether a home is a good investment, it is always a good idea to talk to the real estate agent about some of the home's history. Take a quick look at a few things you should ask about a home's history before you make an offer to the seller. 

How many previous owners has the home had?

This may seem irrelevant when buying homes for sale, but knowing how many owners a home has had in the past can tell you a few things. If the home has had several owners and is relatively new, it could point to signs of problems with either the property or the area. Plus, in some cases, if a home has passed through many owners, you will need to be a little more vigilant about checking for maintenance issues because not every owner will have been an attentive one. Your real estate agent can usually get you a home history report that will show you how many owners it has had since it was originally built. 

Has the home ever been the site of a crime?

Knowing whether or not a house has been the site of a crime can be helpful for many reasons. First off, if there has been a violent crime in the home and someone was murdered or attacked, this is information you would probably like to know as a homeowner. In some cases, homes were notorious crimes have taken place become something of a town spectacle and sometimes, homes even attract tourists who are just passing through and want to see where something took place. Not every home buyer will be comfortable with this kind of attention. 

How many property permits have been obtained on the home?

Property permits, or building and construction permits, are a usual requirement in many areas when a homeowner needs to perform certain types of work. Getting a full permit history report can give you valuable insight into what upgrades have been made to the home and when specific maintenance or construction projects took place. Likewise, if there is work done to the home and no permit record on file, it can tell you that the work was probably not completed by a licensed contractor. 

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