Your Property Research Checklist | Fairhope Real Estate

Keep your evidence together

Start a folder with the listing link, address and parcel identifier. Name each saved document so you can find it again. Beside every open question, write who you will ask and what response would help you decide. These boxes track this visit only; record your research separately if you want to keep it.

Work through the address

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Identify the property. Match the listing, address and parcel information. Save the source you used and flag any mismatch for clarification.
Check the boundary and authority. Record the relevant city or county contact and the questions you need answered about the property. Start with county planning maps.
Describe your plans. List intended changes or uses. Ask the responsible office which records or approvals you should investigate before relying on those plans.
Collect flood information. Save the map reference, date and questions for the local floodplain contact and insurer. Keep it with other property records. Open FEMA's map service.
Ask about utilities. Contact the relevant providers with the address and intended use. Record available service, connection questions and the source of any cost estimate.
Request access and association documents. Ask which records explain shared roads, amenities, fees and responsibilities. Note any document that is still missing.
Verify school assignment if relevant. Use the district's address lookup and confirm its results with the listed schools, as BCBE recommends. Read the district's guidance.
Plan condition checks. List concerns raised by your visit and ask the appropriate inspectors about the scope of their work. Save findings and follow-up questions together.

Bring the unfinished questions forward

Public records, visits and professional advice answer different questions. When two sources disagree, keep both and ask for clarification. The county's buyer and building guide is a useful directory of topics and responsible agencies for the next conversation.

What should I share when asking for help?

Share the property link, the particular question and the document or observation behind it. Explain how the answer could affect your plans. That gives the recipient a specific issue to resolve and helps you compare responses across homes.

Return to buyer resources First-time buyer guide · Waterfront questions · Talk through a property