What questions should I ask when purchasing a home for cash price?

A good Buyer's Agent can coordinate the transaction for you, and that Realtor will guide you in making sure you get all the information you will need to make an informed decision. The Realtor you choose to work with will guide you through review of a market analysis for the price of the property, the Seller's Disclosures, the survey, the title commitment, the home inspection, and help you with negotiating the terms of the contract and any amendments to the contract during the escrow period. Although an appraisal of the property isn't required your Realtor will be able to discuss with you the benefits for having an appraisal, so that you can decide whether or not to have one done for the property.

The key point is getting a right comparative market analysis by your real estate agent. When you offer cash you are not required to do an appraisal so you want to be careful not to overpay. Moreover your offer is stronger so you should get a better deal. Hire a top notch negotiator as an agent.

You should definitely hire a realtor to coordinate the transaction for you. Title will need to be open & checked, inspections will need to be completed & you want to make sure all paperwork is completed correctly.

When buying a home "at cash price" I am assuming you mean you are going to make a cash deal on a home between the owner and yourself. Well first of all, you will want this transaction to take place at a title company. You really want a Realtor to manage this deal, because it takes an expert to protect your interest best, but the choice is yours.
A contract needs to be drawn up between you and the seller and taken to the title company you choose or the seller prefers. The title company will run a title search to make sure there are no leans on the property. You will want to order a survey, if the sellers don't already have one that satisfies the title company, that way when the title is insured it has the survey attached to it. I would make sure that you get an inspection, and an appraisal wouldn't hurt. A realtor would advise you to elect an option period, or a period of time that you pay the seller a small amount to inspect the home to see if it meets your needs and you accept it. It's really can be a long and drawn up process for an inexperienced consumer, and, actually, there is an opportunity to loose money. Your money. You will also need to consider how much money you will need for closing. You might want to have about 3-6 % on hand. You will want to have a home warranty. If you are concerned about commission if you use a Realtor, the seller usually pays the commission, the commission rate is negotiable and ensures that your transaction is insured by a broker. You can replace the experience of a good Realtor.

Annie, great question and congratulations on choosing to purchase your next home! Karen is absolutely right, a REALTOR is a great place to start! It allows you to have someone you can always contact quickly for questions such as this and also someone with experience who has your best interest in mind. The questions really won't be any different than if you needed to obtain financing. If you would like to go over the normal process for free, contact me and I'd be happy to assist you further. Thanks for posting!

Ask the seller:
1) First thing you want to ask is what kind of discount can you get for bringing all cash
2) do they need time to move or would the like quick sale.
3) for a disclosure statement. You want to see if there are any defects in the home that the seller knows about.
4) would they be willing to pay any or all of you closing costs.

If you really want save money you should have an agent asking these questions for you.

You should first address this your REALTOR. If you are not currently working with a REALTOR, that would be your first step. As a buyer a REALTOR does not cost you anything, but are an invaluable asset to represent your interests. They can also easily answer your questions about a property's taxes as well as flood risk. They can also provide assistance in establishing a fair offer price should you find a home. Your initial questions are good - I always ask about the age of some big ticket items such as age of roof, A/C, heating, and water heater. Each home may bring about its own set of questions as well that is unique to a property. Again, your personal REALTOR is the best resource for all of the above. To locate a REALTOR you can use HAR's "find a pro" tool and search by location (though most agents service most all of Houston) and client reviews. Best of luck - let me know if I can help you further