Short answerBuyers want to know what is really wrong with a house, what it will cost now and over five years, and how to negotiate after the inspection and appraisal. These guides answer those questions plainly, with planning costs, loan program rules, and the steps that protect you before you are locked in.
Good first reads: what the inspection may find, what a house really costs per month, and what to ask the seller to fix.
Start here
Buying by home age
- What may a home inspection find on a house I am buying in Southern Indiana?
- What may the inspection find on a house built before 1940?
- What may the inspection find on a house built between 1940 and 1959?
- What may the inspection find on a 1960s or 1970s house?
- What may the inspection find on a house built in the 1980s?
- What may the inspection find on a house built in the 1990s?
- What may the inspection find on a house built between 2000 and 2009?
- What may the inspection find on a house built between 2010 and 2019?
- Buying new construction or a house under five years old: what do builders miss?
After the inspection
- How do I read a home inspection report?
- What is the difference between a safety issue, a material defect, and a maintenance item?
- My inspection report came back: what do I ask the seller to fix?
- Should I ask for repairs, a closing cost credit, or a lower price?
- Which inspection findings are worth walking away over?
- When should I call a specialist after the home inspection?
- How do I make sure repairs were done right before closing?
- What should I check at the final walkthrough?
- How much does a home inspection cost in Southern Indiana, and which add ons are worth it?
Loans, process, and negotiation
- How do I buy a home with a VA loan in Southern Indiana and compete with conventional offers?
- How does buying with an FHA loan work in Southern Indiana?
- How does a USDA loan work for buying in Southern Indiana?
- What down payment assistance is available in Indiana?
- The appraisal came in low. What are my options as the buyer?
- Why do I have to sign a buyer agreement before touring, and what should it say?
- How does buyer agent compensation work now, and can I negotiate it?
- How do I decide what to offer on a house?
- How much earnest money should I put down in Indiana?
- What contingencies should be in my offer?
- Should I buy a house sold as is?
- Is it smart to buy a house with known problems if the price is right?
- How do I win in a multiple offer situation without overpaying?
True cost of ownership
Buying step by step
- What are the steps to buying a house in Indiana?
- How long does it take to close on a house?
- What is the difference between preapproval and prequalification?
- What happens at closing when I buy a house in Indiana, and what do I bring?
- What should I not do before closing on a house?
- What happens if my loan falls through after my offer is accepted?
- Can I go to an open house or tour a home without an agent?
Money and mortgages
- How much house can I afford in Southern Indiana?
- How much do I need for a down payment?
- What credit score do I need to buy a house?
- What are buyer closing costs in Indiana?
- What is title insurance, and who pays for it in Indiana?
- What is mortgage insurance, and how do I get rid of it?
- How much is homeowners insurance in Indiana, and what raises it?
- Should I rent or buy a house in Southern Indiana?
Special purchases
- What should first time home buyers in Indiana know?
- How do I buy a foreclosure or HUD home in Southern Indiana?
- Can I finance repairs into my mortgage?
- What should I know before buying land or acreage in Southern Indiana?
- Do I need my own agent when buying new construction?
- Should I use an escalation clause in my offer?
Looking at a house and not sure what you are getting into?
Ask for a free Before You Offer review. Send me the listing. I look over the photos, the seller's disclosure, and recent sales, then flag likely condition issues and planning cost ranges before you write an offer.
Request a Before You Offer reviewOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email john@yourpropertynegotiator.com.
The Before You Offer review is a REALTOR® and contractor review of the listing, not a home inspection. It is for buyers who are not already working with an agent. If you have an agent, please bring these questions to your agent.
John Long, REALTOR® · 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate · (812) 525-5489 · yourpropertynegotiator.com
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional home inspection, and not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice. Ask a real estate attorney about contracts and disclosure, a CPA about taxes, your lender about loan rules, and a licensed inspector or tradesperson about your house. Nothing here guarantees a sale price, net proceeds, repair cost, payment, timeline, appraisal, inspection result, or loan approval. Cost figures are planning estimates, not bids. I own Wardmark Property Operations LLC, a contracting company. You are always free to use any contractor you choose.