Your First Property Visit: What to Check

A first visit is short, and it is often where everything gets decided. You walk in, you love the light, you are already placing the sofa. My job that day is to make you look at what the photos do not show, in order: before, outside, inside, then the neighbourhood.

Before the visit: documents to ask for

The Declarations by the seller. This OACIQ form, the Déclarations du vendeur, is mandatory when an individual sells a mainly residential property with fewer than five dwellings through a broker. There is a version for condos (divided co-ownership), and the seller’s broker must give it to any interested buyer. The seller answers to the best of their knowledge: water infiltration, roof, attic insulation, oil tank, tests already done (pyrite, pyrrhotite, radon). Read it before the visit: you will know where to look.

The certificate of location. Prepared by a land surveyor, the certificat de localisation flags encroachments, servitudes, compliance with regulations and flood zones, among other things. The Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres advises asking the seller for a copy. A pool added after its date will not appear on it.

The tax bills, municipal and school, for the last year.

For a condo. Ask for the declaration of co-ownership, the minutes of the co-owners’ meetings and of the board, the financial statements and the status of the contingency fund. If you could not read everything before your offer, the OACIQ recommends making the promise to purchase conditional on reviewing them.

Since August 14, 2025, the seller must also give the promising buyer, in due time, the syndicate’s attestation on the condition of the co-ownership (article 1068.1 of the Civil Code). Because it is meant for the promising buyer, it arrives after your promise to purchase, not before the visit. The syndicate has 15 days to produce it.

Outside: five minutes before you go in

The roof. Curled or missing shingles, shingles shedding their granules, moss: these are signs of wear. Ask for the year of the last roof job, and the invoice.

Grading and water. The ground should slope away from the house, and downspouts should discharge water away from the foundation. A slope toward the wall is water looking for the basement. The foundation drain is buried: ask whether it was inspected by camera or replaced, and when.

The visible foundation. Spot cracks and photograph them, without drawing conclusions: it is the inspector’s job to say whether they are serious.

The windows. Rotten frames, cracked caulking, fog between the panes of a sealed unit: all expenses to plan for.

Inside, room by room

Ask permission before taking photos: you are in someone’s home.

Ceilings, walls and smells. Look for water rings, especially under a bathroom and under the roof. One freshly painted patch of ceiling deserves a question. Smell the air, closets included: damp, sewer, heating oil.

Kitchen and bathrooms. Run the water, check the pressure, look under the sink and at the caulking around the tub.

The electrical panel. Without opening it, note whether it has fuses or breakers, and any rust or signs of heat.

Heating. Energy source and age of the unit. Compare the year on its plate with the one in the seller’s declarations.

An oil tank. Since December 31, 2023, in existing buildings of 600 m² or less and three storeys or fewer, an oil-fired appliance can no longer be replaced with one that burns a fossil fuel. If an oil boiler or furnace more than 20 years old (a water heater more than 10 years old) needs a major repair, you will have to switch to a renewable source, such as electricity: budget for it. On the insurance side, a spill from your own oil tank is a common exclusion. An insurer may offer coverage if the tank meets its criteria: call yours before making an offer.

The basement. The most important room. At the bottom of the walls, look for white powdery deposits (efflorescence), stains and tide marks. A freshly finished basement or a dehumidifier running nonstop deserves questions. Look at the slab: cracked or heaved?

Quebec-specific issues

Pyrite. According to the OACIQ, this mineral, found in the stone fill under the slab, can swell as it oxidizes, lift the slab and crack the foundation. Cases have been identified in 91 cities in Greater Montreal. The highest-risk areas: the South Shore, the east end of Montreal and the West Island. Only an expert assessment using the CTQ-M200 method can settle the question: ask whether one was done.

Pyrrhotite. It damages the concrete in some foundations. Documented cases are concentrated in the Trois-Rivières area, in Mauricie.

Vermiculite. According to Health Canada, this insulation, often sold under the Zonolite brand, may contain asbestos: to be safe, assume so if it was produced before 1990. It looks like light granules, silver-gold to grey-brown, mostly in the attic. Sealed and undisturbed, it poses very little risk. Never remove it yourself: that is a job for professionals.

Aluminum wiring. Installed mainly from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s, it is permitted by the Quebec Construction Code. The risk lies at the connections: according to the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec, aluminum is often incompatible with the brass screws on outlets, which can cause overheating. An insurer can require a letter of compliance from a master electrician, or replacement of the wiring.

Lead in Montreal. According to the City, some buildings with 8 dwellings or fewer built before 1970 have a lead water service line. Its online map shows the known status by address. Replacing the private portion is now mandatory for the owner: ask whether it has been done.

Radon. It is invisible and is measured with a test of at least three months: Health Canada recommends testing every home.

The neighbourhood

Come back at another time, an evening or a Saturday: a highway is not always audible on a Tuesday afternoon. Check street parking and resident permits, then do the real commute to work at rush hour.

Questions to ask

Ask them through your broker, in writing if possible. The listing broker represents the seller: since June 10, 2022, the same broker can no longer represent both the buyer and the seller.

• Has there ever been water in the basement, and what was done?
• Have there been any insurance claims?
• How old are the roof, the windows, the heating system?
• Were renovations done with permits?
• What tests were done: pyrite, radon, water, drain?
• For a condo: major work planned, special assessment, litigation?

What a visit is not

A visit does not replace a pre-purchase inspection. Your notes help you decide whether to make an offer, and tell the inspector where to look. For cost and timing, read what an inspection costs and when to do it.

Since October 1, 2024, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) has certified residential building inspectors, but the certificate only becomes mandatory on October 1, 2027. Until then, choose an inspector who follows the BNQ 3009-500 standard and carries liability insurance, errors and omissions included, and check whether they appear in the RBQ’s directory.

If the visit reveals a serious problem, reread the red flags that justify walking away.

Printable checklist

Have a visit coming up and want a second pair of eyes? Reach out and we will prepare it together, documents included.

Georges Matar

Residential Real Estate Broker · RE/MAX DU CARTIER INC.

Contact Georges