What to ask while you are there
Start outside on a lakeshore or ravine property: find the top of bank, ask whether Conservation Halton has ever been consulted about the lot, look for retaining walls or patched grading that hint at movement, and check how the house sits relative to the street after a heavy rain. Ask the host if there is an offer deadline and whether a pre-inspection report exists. Inside a postwar house, open the electrical panel, look at the basement corners and ask about the furnace, the roof and whether an old oil tank was removed. In a North Oakville row, ask how much of the Tarion warranty remains, whether the lane is a common element and what the vacant land across the street is approved for. In a condo, ask if the status certificate is ordered. Note the traffic on the way in; a Saturday afternoon says little about the QEW ramps at half past five on a Tuesday.