Q: We saw a house with you a few weeks ago that we really liked.

My husband emailed you several times with a lot of questions. You were great at answering all of our questions, but now it ended up that someone else bought the house. How are buyers supposed to find out everything they need to know about a place before someone else beats them to it?
A: Most questions can be answered during the inspection contingencies. There are specific forms that give you the right to check out the neighborhood, inspect the property and house, examine and study the title documents, and complete other "due diligence" before committing to buy the home.
There are specific questions that should be asked and answered before making an offer, of course. First and foremost is to determine if the house is within the price range you're qualified to spend. Next, you should ask yourself if it meets your basic needs for size, location, and condition.
It is also common that there is anecdotal information about the property I can share that I've learned from 20 years of selling real estate on Vashon Island. I generally discuss a number of things with clients that might not be obvious to them. That might include, for instance, traffic patterns, serious slide areas, distance from each ferry, closeness to parks or schools, and any information I may know about each specific property. I am also happy to provide information on recent comparable sales that can help determine value.
All of those issues can be resolved in a day or two. Spending days or weeks trying to find out every detail possible about a property puts you at risk that someone else will come in and make an offer. Buying always includes some level of risk. I do what I can to help minimize that for you, but you need to be prepared to commit to a property if you hope to relocate to Vashon Island.