Key points
- Fix your criteria before the first showing, including the two or three things you will not trade away.
- Record the same five dimensions for every home: location and routes, layout and light, condition and systems, ownership structure, monthly cost.
- Ask about the type and age of major systems at the showing, then have the inspector check what you were told.
- Compare monthly cost rather than list price: principal and interest, property tax, insurance, condo fee and utilities.
Decide what you are comparing before you tour
Clarity tends to fade by the third or fourth showing, when each home is remembered for its best feature. Before touring, write down three things: the budget ceiling as a monthly figure, the two or three requirements you will not give up, and the trade-offs you would accept, such as a smaller yard for a shorter commute. Take the same sheet to every showing.
Five dimensions to record in every home
A short, consistent record is more useful than photos alone.
| Dimension | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Location & routes | Door-to-door time at your travel hours; street noise; parking | A midday map estimate rarely matches the morning commute |
| Layout & light | Bedroom sizes, storage, orientation of main rooms, stairs | The hardest things to change after you buy |
| Condition & systems | Type and age of roof, heating, water heater, electrical panel; signs of water in the basement | Replacing major systems usually costs more than cosmetic updates |
| Ownership structure | Condo fee and what it covers, rental and pet rules; for houses, the lot, driveway and shared boundaries | Defines what you control and what you share |
| Monthly cost | Estimated principal and interest, property tax, insurance, condo fee, utilities | Homes at the same price can carry very different monthly costs |
Systems: ask at the showing, verify at the inspection
Much of Greater Boston’s housing was built long before current codes and has been updated in stages. At the showing, ask which systems were replaced and when, whether permits were pulled, and what fuel the heating uses. Bring the answers to the home inspection so the inspector can check what was said.
A seller’s statements and an inspection report serve different purposes; one does not replace the other.
- Roof: material and approximate age
- Heating: fuel (gas, oil, electric or heat pump), system type and age; cooling if any
- Water heater: type and age
- Electrical: panel capacity and any older wiring
- Basement: dampness, staining, sump pump, past water entry
- Renovations: what was done, by whom, and whether permits were closed
Condos: the documents are part of the comparison
Two condos with similar finishes can sit in associations in very different financial health. Early in the comparison, ask for the monthly fee and what it covers, the current budget, the reserve balance, the master insurance policy and any recent or planned special assessments. The guide to condo documents explains what to look for in each.
Turn the notes into a decision
Complete the sheet within a day of each showing, while details are fresh. When two homes remain, compare them line by line and separate the differences you could change later (paint, fixtures, appliances) from those you could not (location, light, layout, lot). That short list is the foundation for the conversation about price and terms.
General information for Massachusetts buyers, current as of the date shown. Confirm system ages, permits and condominium figures with the documents and your inspector.