Trained Buyer
YOUR TOP PRIORITY SHOULD BE THE BOTTOM OF THE HOME
Do yourself a favor and move your wants, needs, and must-haves down one notch on your list and place the foundation at the very top. A sound, quality structure cannot be built on a weak foundation. All the new and fresh updates in the world will do nothing to keep your home from sloping, sinking, or sliding. Make sure that you check for any minor and major signs of foundation issues in each and every home you walk into.
When walking through the home be sure to open and close as many interior and exterior doors and windows as possible. Do they stick or do the frames appear to be slanted? If the answer is yes, you may have some foundations issues. If, when walking through the property, you feel like you’re going “downhill”, that can be another sign of a settling/problem foundation. Look for signs of current or previous water damage in the basement. Any discolored stains on the floor or walls, or cracks or bowing in the walls themselves are a clear sign of issues that need to be remediated. Lastly, walk around the exterior of the property and look to see how the land is sloped. If the land slopes down towards the home be sure to inquire about any grading or drainage that is installed to ensure the proper redirect of water away from the foundation and the home.
GO WITH THE FLOW-CHOOSING A FLOOR PLAN THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU
Whether you’re a first time or repeat home buyer, it’s important to manage your expectations. Rarely will you ever find a home that meets everything on your list and for the budget you have in mind. However, changing cabinets, flooring, wall color, or counters is generally easier (and often times cheaper) than redesigning the entire floor plan. Make sure to think about the type of lifestyle you have or want, as well as any mobility restrictions you or a loved one have and choose a floor plan that best suits your needs.
If you like to entertain friends and family choosing an open concept floor plan, such as those found more commonly in Ranches, Modern Capes, and Modern Colonials can offer you the space and flow you need. By having less separating walls, open concept floor plans maximize on the square footage. If you’re someone who prefers to have each room individually defined, going with a more traditional floor plan like the ones found in classic Capes, Colonials, Victorians, and New Englanders may be your best option. Characterized by long hallways and separating walls, this style of floor plan generally offers larger rooms that are not open to other areas of the home allowing you to entertain while also giving you the option for privacy and comfort if you want some space to yourself. If you hate to clean or you or a loved one have mobility issues, going with a Ranch, or Bungalow style home is probably your best choice. These two style homes often deliver all the necessary space you need in a single level setting. It’s a perfect combination of space, functionality, and accessibility.
KEEPING IT STRUCTURED-HOW TO DETECT POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH YOUR HOMES INTEGRITY
Structural integrity is by and large the most important determining factor when choosing your next home. Along with the foundation, having a home with structural issues can make all those nice appliances, and beautiful finishing’s far less appealing. Unfortunately, the structural integrity of a home can be one of the harder things to notice especially when looking at a home up close.
If you like to entertain friends and family choosing an open concept floor plan, such as those found more commonly in Ranches, Modern Capes, and Modern Colonials can offer you the space and flow you need. By having less separating walls, open concept floor plans maximize on the square footage. If you’re someone who prefers to have each room individually defined, going with a more traditional floor plan like the ones found in classic Capes, Colonials, Victorians, and New Englanders may be your best option. Characterized by long hallways and separating walls, this style of floor plan generally offers larger rooms that are not open to other areas of the home allowing you to entertain while also giving you the option for privacy and comfort if you want some space to yourself. If you hate to clean or you or a loved one have mobility issues, going with a Ranch, or Bungalow style home is probably your best choice. These two style homes often deliver all the necessary space you need in a single level setting. It’s a perfect combination of space, functionality, and accessibility.
THE BILLION DOLLAR INSECT-WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE COULD HURT YOU (FINANCIALLY)
We’ve all heard of them, and most of us at some point, have had them in our homes. TERMITES! A Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) that, along with others such as Carpenter Ants, account for roughly a BILLION dollars’ worth of home damage in the US every year. These tiny insects can wreak havoc on your homes structural integrity without you even knowing it. Exterminating them sooner than later can not only save you money, it could literally save your home from total destruction.
How do you know if you have a termite or other WDI infestation? The short answer, NEVER agree to waive the termite inspection especially on an older home. For a couple hundred bucks, depending on your market and the size of the home, a professional pest control expert can do a thorough once over to detect any signs of damage. Most of us don’t want to crawl under the home or into a tight space in the attic. Even if we did, we may not know what to look for. It’s always best to leave the work to the experts. If you notice that the home appears to have any kind of structural issues, as mentioned in another post, it’s imperative to contact a trusted pest control agency to address those concerns. Experts know all the signs of damage such as identifying droppings a.k.a. frass, finding exit holes or mud tubes, and can also determine what kind of WDI is causing the issue. Once they determine the route cause, they can tailor a plan specific to your home and infestation to help remediate your current and future issues.
IF YOU LIKE THE VIEW, YOU SHOULD BUY IT-LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
There are generally 3 main things that you as a prospective homebuyer are looking for. Overall appeal of the home both inside and out, the price, and lastly the location. Unlike the first two categories which are fairly cut and dry, the location of a home can sometimes be misleading. Maybe you’ve heard that a particular neighborhood is safe, or that the schools are the best. But whose making that call? What are their definitions of safe or the best? Not knowing the answer to these questions is where some buyers experience the dreaded “Buyer’s Remorse”.
So how can you avoid this pitfall? Do you due diligence and evaluate your current or projected lifestyle. Don’t take your Realtors® word or a friend’s word about a certain neighborhood. Go out and experience it for yourself. Drive and walk the neighborhood multiple times during the week and weekends in the morning, the afternoon, and at night. Get a feel for the amount of traffic and noise, or how long it may take you to get to and from work. Don’t be afraid to speak to neighbors if you see them out and about. They live there and know that area better than almost anyone. If safety is your concern, contact the local authorities. Many Officers are willing to speak with you for a few minutes and fill you in on the crime rate in the neighborhood, city, or county. Like the view? If so, do your research and find out who owns the land. If it’s for sale, you may want to look into purchasing it because that amazing view of the mountains or water may one day be a view of a brick wall or your neighbor’s bathroom window. Lastly, look online. There are a ton of City Data sites that can give you a thorough demographic report including median age, household income, crime rate, school rankings, proximity to amenities, and population growth/decline. Compile all of this information together with what you want for a lifestyle and use it to help you make a sound decision and avoid “Buyer’s Remorse”.
40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS-IS THIS HOME IN A FLOOD ZONE?
One of the worst things that can happen to any home owner is to have their property destroyed by a natural disaster. We have seen it time and time again especially in recent months with Hurricane Harvey, Maria, and Irma. People’s entire lives washed away in a swift moving current of mother nature’s wrath. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to prevent a natural disaster from striking. However, you can protect yourself and your assets by simply doing your due diligence.
Often times a home can be classified in a Flood Zone and never flood even an inch of water in its lifetime. If the home you want to purchase is in a designated Flood Zone be sure to check historical records for the area. One source of information is from FEMA. They offer a search tool on their website that can give you the most up to date Flood Maps available. If you’re looking to purchase a vacant piece of land that doesn’t yet have an address, simply type in the address of a neighboring property and see where the flood boundaries lie. You want to also consider the overall costs of purchasing a home within a Flood Zone. Most lenders will require that you purchase some sort of Flood Insurance to go along with your loan. Insurance companies also increase your premiums costing you much more out of pocket than you may be able to afford. If you discover that the home you intend to purchase is in a Flood Zone you can check out FloodSmart.gov to gain a general understanding of your expected cost of Flood Insurance. Lastly, think about why your buying this home? Is it an investment or a place you intend to live forever? If it’s the former, then you may want to look at alternative options. Selling the home later on down the line could prove to be extremely difficult. If it’s the latter, then you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of everything involved including the interior and exterior appeal, the neighborhood, and the financial obligation you are committing to.
MY NAME IS MUD (MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT)-WHAT THEY ARE, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
You may, or may not, have heard of a somewhat new phenomenon known as a Municipal Utility District a.k.a. MUD. What exactly is a MUD you ask? They are special-purpose districts in Texas, somewhat similar to Utility Co-Ops, that provide your basic utility services such as gas, electric, and sewer. The governmental entities that run a MUD are generally non-profit and the officials are elected by the residents within the MUD. So why am I telling you this? Living in a MUD, much like living in another form of a Co-op or HOA, comes with its own set of pros and cons that need to be considered before you submit that P&S agreement.
One of the things you’ll want to take into consideration is how a MUD is financed. Generally, this falls on the burden of the areas homeowners. MUDs are typically funded through some sort of bond. The homeowners in that area are then charged with paying off that bond through MUD taxes (similar to paying an HOA, or Co-op fee). MUDs have full authority through their creation to levy and change taxes and fees in order to provide for all the utilities and services the area requires. The amount of fees you are likely to pay vary depending on the amount of debt that a MUD has taken on, as well as their overall infrastructure (utilities, police, parks, etc.). Generally, MUDs are formed in an attempt to lower utility costs and keep the service local. It’s important to know if your future home is in a MUD and to take a look at the current rate of MUD taxes, utility costs, and any other standing covenants that may exist (such as regulations regarding trash collection, or covenants about what you can and cannot do to your home) and determine whether or not living in a MUD is what’s best for you, your family, and your investment.
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