First Time Home Buyer

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See if Zillow says the property values in the area are going down, going up or staying where they are. Check the walk score, if you want to have stuff in your neighborhood within walking distance, instead of having to drive.

Consider having more than one inspection done, and be leery of someone referred to you by the seller. Some areas have been re-drawn into new flood maps - find out how the weather in that specific area has been. See if there are any superfund sites near where you're wanting to live. Less obviously, look for places like dry cleaners, gas stations, etc, where they may have toxic chemicals and not properly disposing of them.

Before you consider getting a place that you'll be doing landscaping on, find out what kind of soil is there - if it's crappy soil, you may end up spending more than you anticipated. Find out if existing landscaping stuff, like sprinklers, are under any warranty. Are there drain tiles around the perimeter of the house? How is drainage? Do you have a sump pump? a backup in case the first one goes out or power goes out?

Does it already have an alarm system? Are the entry points secure - windows, egress windows, etc. How old is the roof? Are appliances included, and are they so old that they'll have to be replaced? Termites, bats, cockroaches, racoons? What's the cell phone reception like in that area? Do you get any options for cable tv & internet, or satellite tv? Is there any mass transit within a reasonable distance? Crime maps, crime maps, crime maps. Drive around the neighborhood at all hours, to get an idea of what it's REALLY like. Offstreet vs on street parking? Motion detection lights in the backyard in case someone goes into your back yard (it may make someone choose another house to break in).

Are there any rules or covenants for your neighborhood about things like fencing and landscaping? Is the neighborhood old, new, recovering, going downhill? On a flight path for an airport, so sound is an issue? Near a highway or major road, so traffic and noise again are an issue? Are schools important? Old enough of a house that you'll have to consider lead paint?

Central air vs swamp cooler? What kind of heating? Old chimneys that don't work or haven't been kept up and cleaned regularly? Not always possible, but see what the house is like during rain, to see if anything is leaking. Mold & mildew. Be honest with how much fixing up and customization you're able to do - the TV shows about flipping or renovations always understate how much work and money is involved. How long has the house been on the market? Any other houses nearby being sold or being foreclosed? How many bedrooms? Are the walls really able to be taken down to make a room bigger, or are the walls load bearing?