Questions worth asking
The better question changes the conversation.
A working set of lenses for any real estate decision. Use them to examine a move, not as a substitute for advice about your property.
- 01
What are we paying for?
Money is only one part of the decision. Ask what a choice costs in expense, time, certainty, leverage and risk. A lower cost can still carry a different burden.
Comes up in: The house needs work. · I'm selling my parents' home. · I don't know whether to move now.
Bring this question to Praveen - 02
What are we assuming?
Separate what is observed from what is inferred. A listing photo shows a room; it does not prove a renovation caused a result. A comparison supplies evidence; it still needs interpretation.
Comes up in: My listing isn't selling. · I think the seller might have room. · We're buying our first home.
Bring this question to Praveen - 03
What would change the move?
A recommendation should be able to name its dependencies. A deadline, a condition issue, competing choices or new evidence may change the plan. Ask what would make the current approach wrong.
Comes up in: My listing isn't selling. · I'm selling my parents' home. · I don't know whether to move now.
Bring this question to Praveen - 04
How replaceable is this?
Some features can be added later. Location, light and how a house lives usually cannot. Losing a home costs more when the next one is a compromise.
Comes up in: We found the house. Everyone wants it. · We're buying our first home.
Bring this question to Praveen - 05
Would the seller believe this offer will close?
Price is one signal. Funding, deposit, appraisal exposure and the seller's own timing can make a number more credible, or less.
Comes up in: We found the house. Everyone wants it. · I think the seller might have room.
Bring this question to Praveen - 06
What are the terms worth, not just the price?
Earnest money, an appraisal-gap commitment, contingencies and the closing date decide whether a sale actually happens. The highest number isn't always the strongest offer.
Comes up in: We found the house. Everyone wants it.
Bring this question to Praveen - 07
What will buyers see first?
Buyers decide in the first photos and the first minute inside. Cheap fixes that change that first impression usually matter more than expensive ones they won't notice.
Comes up in: The house needs work.
Bring this question to Praveen
Tell me what's going on.
You don't need a strategy or the perfect question first. Start with your situation.