buyer who finds that dream home may wonder why the owner is selling. You may be tempted to ask. Is that proper?

Or is it rude?

As a buyer you need to know more about the home than simply the number of bathrooms and bedrooms. What the owner tells you about the property, its condition and why they are moving can be invaluable. You could also find a better deal.

Buyers should remain polite and tactful. If you want information, don't come on like a drill seargant. You don't want to upset the seller or give away your bargaining position.

You could mention how lovely the home is and ask why the owner is moving. This is a question in a compliment. It is rarely offensive.

A lot can be found in the answer.

There are many reasons people move. They need more space. They are getting older and there are too many stairs. They are retired and going to live their dream. They want to be closer to grandkids. They have a new job in another state.

But would you expect to hear that:

The leak in the basement makes it impossible to have a bedroom down there. After the hurricane, we decided to buy a new home rather than repair this one. We don't care what the inspector says, we've lived here 30 years and the roof looks good to me. We're getting a divorce. After 20 years working with asbestos, the company laid me off. Ahhh! While some answers are innocent, others are a little alarming.

What you are looking for is clues to help you make a better offer. You want a low price with terms and conditions to cure any problems.

For example, a divorce is a common reason to sell a home. The home symbolizes their lives together. The need to sell the home quickly might just work to your advantage.

The same for someone with money troubles, job woes or someone who has been transferred out of state.

There are some questions you shouldn't ask.

Don't ask how much the owners paid for the property. Don't tell them you heard they spent x amount of dollars on the property. It doesn't matter. What is important is the current market value. If they got a bargain 15 years ago, what does that mean? The seller wants to sell for as much as the current market will allow.

Keep in mind that you should look out for your best interests. You are a home buyer and obligated only to yourself for the best price and terms. If you pay too much, you are simply giving money away.

All properties have market value, which is determined by many factors, including personal issues. If someone needs to sell a house in twenty days and you can make a deal, why pay the top price.

All interactions with owners should be friendly but cautious. Don't just automatically believe that they are your friends. Expect some questions aimed at you as well.

Why are you buying? How much are you going to put down? When would you like to move?

Copyright 2006 #1 Loans USA

About the author:

Martin Lukac, represents #1 Loans USA http://www.1loansusa.com a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. For daily mortgage rates please visit http://www.RateEmpire.com