KNOWING the right questions to ask can improve the outcome of one of the most important decisions you may make in your lifetime — buying a home.

Being familiar with the common terms used in the sector can also make the process much smoother.

Additionally, knowing which real estate niche market suits your needs, puts you in a much better position when scouting for deals.

These little tidbits of buyer’s research, as Chief Executive Officer of GM Realtors Gregory Mayne explains, can guide your checklist of what to ask your realtor or the prospective vendor.

“It is important that you research the neighbourhood into which you are buying,” he said.

Mayne explained to the Wealth Magazine’s Home Sweet Home team that, individuals who overlook this vital element of research may find themselves in “uncomfortable situations” after making a major investment.

“You may just buy the house then discover that your neighbour is a sound system operator who plays his sound every night,” he cautioned. “Buyers also need to check the structural soundness of the property.”

Freshly conducted repairs can indicate aspects of the property that need to be scrutinised.

“You don’t want to buy the house then find that a pipe burst in the newly painted portion of the wall that you overlooked because, you will now have to foot the bill to repair both the pipe and the wall,” Mayne cautioned.

He suggested that buyers take pictures of the areas of the property they are concerned about as, this will aid in reminding you of things to seek clarification on.

The effects of the country’s climate conditions must also be factored into the house hunt Mayne advised.

“We live in the tropics so checking the roofs of the property cannot be overlooked, especially if you are viewing the property in what we call the dry season,” he said.

The surveyor’s and valuation reports are also procedures that must not be skipped, Mayne said, since breaches of property boundaries can result in costly and time-consuming legal battles.

Prospective homeowners must never be afraid to assert their right to ask probing questions when viewing properties since in the end “you will have to live with your decision”, Mayne warned.

The issues raised through in questioning the realtor or vendor can act as further negotiating points to broker a better deal for the buyer by Mayne’s reckoning.

The scarcity of middle-income homes has spurred an all out sellers’ market in that niche with homes disappearing from the listings in a matter of weeks, Mayne informed Home Sweet Home.

“The price point for properties within the middle-income bracket ranges between $15 and $21 million.”

The large numbers of buyers in that sector who are qualified to purchase have spurred the scarcity of listings, by Mayne’s opinion.

One way to improve your chances of snagging that dream property is research, Mayne advised.

This has been made easier by the Multi Listing Service (MLS). The programme facilitates online searches for property by both buyers and realtors.

“Most people start their house hunting in the confines of their homes,” he said, adding that local properties have now been made available to international buyers through the system.

“The MLS has given us the opportunity to centralise our real estate properties by integrating all the websites of the real estate bodies.”

Buyers can now start their search by simply clicking on the areas and types of property they wish to buy while realtors have the added benefit on showcasing their properties online as well as scouting others he said.

The Home Sweet Home series is aired weekly.