What questions do you ask when you buy a house?

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Like Jerry said, inquire about the sewer line. If their answer is "I don't know", GET IT SCOPED all the way to the street or the septic tank. It can be VERY expensive to get this sorted out. My sister ended up with a $10,000 repair only a few months after buying her house.

Yikes! Just wondering, how old was this house?

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

They look at the flood plain map. Of course, it could be out of date, or just plain wrong. IMO, don't count on the lender for this.

The lender is only checking this to see if you're required to buy flood insurance. Otherwise, they don't care. On your HUD-1 and GFE it will appear as Flood Cert. fee and is around $20. I think they use a gov't. database, either FEMA or USACE, to determine it.

[Jim Richards]

Yeah, after buying 9 homes, I understand things like this.

[911Rob]

Originally Posted by JonT

....and was wondering what questions do you guys ask

Where do I sign?

Ha, sorry, I just don't have the energy today.

[tabs]

Does it have expansive soil underneath?

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by tabs

Does it have expansive soil underneath?

Oh yeah, good point. In CO, that was an issue. In NE? Dunno.

[looneybin]

several years ago, i was working on a project with a client on a rural property he had purchased to develop a small apartment complex.
In the course of having the soils testing done, the boring crew found a buried airstream travel trailer.
i $hit you not - an airstream was buried on the property.
The seller had no idea it was there.
Good thing it was found, could you imagine having the trencher for the foundation fall into it.
You just never know what is there, even with a proper inspection.
BTW - make sure you ask if the property has any graves or fossils on it too

[GG Allin]

Flood plain, mold, lead paint, radon gas. Ask if it's haunted too.

[look 171]

look for additions and bonus rooms. make sure they have a building permit

[LWJ]

"Neighbors and noise, go there at different times of the day, ask about who lives around there, consider introducing yourself. Living near a *&&hole with a big barking dog and teenagers having wild parties on the weekend will drive you crazy quickly."

Jerry beat me to it. My last two houses, I go by in the evening and look and listen to the neighborhood and interview neighbors. All the other stuff is easy. Ambiance of the neighborhood is not. Ask my friend who bought a home 20 feet from a train track that was "inactive!"

[RWebb]

also - check for covenants - not just HOA...

check zoning carefully - for several blocks around -- some R1 quiet residential homeowners woke up and discovered a huge student ghetto bldg. going up 1 block away - nothing like drunk kids en mass to kill prop. vlaue nad peaceful livin'

[Jim Richards]

...or a nearby "greenspace" that ends up becoming commercial property, such as an auto graveyard, strip mall, or landfill.

[pwd72s]

"Real" inspector advice by jhynesrocket is very sound. There is a retired contractor in this town...houses he built are sought after, even in the realestate downturn. Look for somebody like that as an inspector...

[charleskieffner]

"ANYJUAN MURDERED HERE?" i think they are bound by law on that one. LOL!

[ja78911sc]

This thread is worthless without photo's of the garage!!!!

[Rusty Heap]

"How many bodies are buried in the back yard?"

[Don Plumley]

"Can the neighbors see you getting freaky with the missus in the kitchen?"

[schamp]

Along with everything listed above- ask if there are any easements. If so what are they? Ingress and Egress, Access, sewer, telephone, electric, fiber optic, pipeline, gas, impoundment, you get the idea. Is there a shared driveway? Good luck.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Friend years ago bought a house near an older cemetary that I think was either close to or full in a more rural area. Greenspace he thought. It was a mess, drunk kids out there all the time.