HomesRaleigh / Raleigh & the Triangle
You can be excited about the home and still want to know what happens if the inspection or financing raises a problem. Start with the price, the money at risk and the time you need to investigate.
HomesRaleigh is part of Raleigh Realty. Ask the team about the price, deposits or deadlines for a home you’re considering.
Before you write the offer
The home.
The terms.
What you can afford.
01 / Look beyond the asking price
An offer on a Cary townhome can raise different questions than one on an older Raleigh house. Compare the price, repairs, HOA responsibilities and deadlines for the home you want to buy.
“What would make this a sensible offer for me?”
A useful question to ask your agent.
Ask which recent nearby sales are genuinely comparable in condition, size, location and ownership type. Review the home’s listing history. Ask what the listing agent has communicated about competing interest or offers, if anything. Decide on your limit before responding to a counteroffer.
Have your lender review the proposed price, monthly cost and available cash. Ask what a lower appraisal would mean for your loan amount and the cash you need to bring to closing.
If your buyer agreement makes you responsible for your agent’s fee, ask how much you would owe if the seller pays only part or none of it. Include any amount you may need to pay yourself when calculating how much cash you need to buy the home.
Ask your agent to spell out two requests separately: what you want the seller to pay toward closing costs, and what you want the seller to pay toward your agent’s fee.
NC REALTORS®: buyer-agent compensation ↗An appraisal estimates value for lending; it does not replace an inspection of the home’s condition.
Review the seller’s disclosures and ask which repairs have already been completed. Request any available repair receipts, permits and warranties. Be specific about appliances, fixtures and other items you expect to remain. Ask what you can check now and what needs an inspector or specialist after you’re under contract.
Discuss the seller’s timing alongside your lease, moving plans or home sale. If you need to sell another home to buy this one, ask your agent and attorney how to make that sale a written condition of your purchase.
02 / North Carolina money questions
Before choosing an amount, ask what happens to each payment if you close, terminate on time or cannot complete the purchase.
Under the commonly used NC Offer to Purchase and Contract, this is a negotiated fee, if any, for the investigation period. It is credited toward the purchase at closing. If you terminate during due diligence, the seller generally keeps it.
Refund exceptions can apply under the contract or an addendum. An attorney should review a disputed refund.
NCREC: fee and refund guidance ↗This is separate from the due diligence fee. Under the standard contract, timely written termination during due diligence generally allows its return. After that period, failing to close can put the deposit at risk.
Confirm the exact deadline, delivery requirements and terms in your signed contract. A phone conversation is not written notice.
NCREC: due diligence explained ↗Choose a fee you could bear losing if the home turns out not to work. Ask about inspection and other investigation costs too. A fee someone paid in Cary years ago does not establish the right amount for your offer today.
03 / Make room to investigate
Plan the investigation period with your agent, lender and inspectors before you commit to a deadline.
The deadline question
Leave time to receive reports, follow up on findings and discuss unresolved issues—not just book the first appointments.
Confirm when inspectors can visit, when the lender expects an appraisal and whether follow-up checks will fit before the deadline. Review when and how you must deliver the due diligence fee and earnest money.
Schedule the agreed checks promptly. Repairs and credits are negotiable; an inspection finding does not automatically require the seller to fix it.
Review unresolved issues and financing with your team. Discuss whether to proceed, seek a written extension or give timely written termination.
The standard NC contract does not automatically make the purchase contingent on loan approval or a satisfactory appraisal. Review your signed contract and any financing or appraisal addenda with your agent and attorney.
Check the address, not just the listing
Use the property’s actual features and records to decide which questions need answers before your investigation period ends.
Look at floodplain, drainage easement and buffer information. The City of Raleigh’s iMaps instructions show how to find these layers by address. Discuss the results with the city, your insurer and appropriate professionals; a map alone is not a property inspection.
Raleigh property-map instructions ↗Ask for the association documents, dues and any assessments. Check which repairs and maintenance the association handles and which you must pay for. If you are comparing a condo with a townhome, verify the ownership structure instead of relying on the building’s appearance.
NCREC: questions for residential buyers ↗Ask which inspections and permit records apply to this address. Confirm the water and wastewater systems, and have the appropriate professionals review them. For an addition, ask about permits and whether the recorded information matches the home.
NCREC: buyer investigation guide ↗Ask your agent and attorney which contract and addenda will be used. If the builder supplies its own agreement, review its deposits, cancellation terms, completion dates and inspection access; don’t assume the standard contract’s due diligence rules apply.
Confirm included features, any unfinished work and the written warranty. If an incentive depends on a particular lender, compare the full loan costs with another lender’s offer.
NC REALTORS®: new-construction contract guidance ↗Build your offer questions
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This list prepares a conversation; it does not submit an offer or assess whether you are ready to buy.
Still getting started?
Our first-time buyer guide covers preparation, costs and the steps toward closing.
A home in mind. A question to ask.
Send the property link or address and tell us what you want to check: price, due diligence fees, repairs, appraisal or closing dates.
HomesRaleigh is part of Raleigh Realty, serving Raleigh and the Triangle.
Meet the team →Guide reviewed September 22, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Your signed contract and addenda control; ask your agent, lender and North Carolina real estate attorney about your situation.
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