What to ask when looking at a house youre considering

amother

Vermilion

Thu, May 07 2015, 1:00 pm

Were going to see a house that a child is seriously considering. Our kids know little about houses, theyre depending on us, the experienced ones.

What have you regretted not asking/discussing when you looked at your house?

Besides looking for obvious faults in the condition of house/water damage, etc, what do we look for and ask the broker and/or the person living in the house, before we get a lawyer and engineer involved?

asp40

Thu, May 07 2015, 1:08 pm

The location is the most important factor. You can change everything else. Do you like the layout, how new or old are the appliances, heater, water heater, air conditioner, etc . . . Was the work in the house done by the owners or an actual licensed contractor?

Dolly Welsh

Thu, May 07 2015, 1:12 pm

Do not annoy the seller. Just use your social instincts. Take a good look at it, and the neighborhood, and the house across the street. Once inside, sniff hard. There should be no icky smells, and there should be no strong smell of baking cookies, which might be used to mask something.

Get TWO entirely separate engineering reports and be done with it. Most of it is location.

Be friendly and act impressed and see what you think of the people. They are sizing you up, too.

Nobody wants any problems and there are a lot of buyers. Be nice.

People want a nice, painless transaction. There is trust needed, in spite of all the legal stuff. Make the seller like you.

There will be little things they can do or not do that will make your kids' lives easier at the last minute. There should be a friendly atmosphere.

ruby slippers

Thu, May 07 2015, 1:40 pm

Ask about the neighbors.. Do they have pets, do the neighbors have pets, are the neighbors friendly. try to get a sense if they are tooo friendly. Not sure where the house is, but find out how quickly power gets restored in the neighborhood and how fast the streets get plowed. Notice if it is a busy street. Try to find out what there usual gas and electric bill is.
Not sure what the website is but I know there is a website that lists child predators (can't find the right words for that) in the area.
Definitely when you are looking in the basement look for a water line around the lower walls, big hint about flooding. Is there a sub pump? And definitely what dolly said- give lots of compliments and if you have questions as k in a positive way.

Good luck!

studying_torah

Thu, May 07 2015, 1:46 pm

Apparently an inspector isn't liable if he didn't find mold ( learned that the hard way) so check the basement very carefully!
Check the plumbing and a/c and heating systems; again learned the hard way that sometimes the vents are not set up for maximum efficiency.
Check if there is a safe place for kids to play, esp if the house is near a busy street.
Def check the neighbors- how friendly they are, if kids are similar ages, etc.
Check if the home is near a flood zone, a high crime area, how the roof and water heaters and updated electrical systems are.
Oh and of course, the title co needs to make sure there are no leins on the house.
Good luck!

shoshanim999

Thu, May 07 2015, 1:50 pm

I really don't think there r any meaningful key questions you can ask. No homeowner selling their house when asked about their neighbors will have anything bad to say. People can live in houses for decades. If the boiler is 2 years old or 12 years old, is that a reason not to buy a house that you love? Just have an engineer walk thru the house and rely on his report. If they like the neighborhood and the house and feel its a fair price, then go for it and hope for the best.

skcomputer

Thu, May 07 2015, 3:27 pm

I would help your kids envision the practical day to day of the house. Are the bedrooms located well (that is, is the master isn't on the first floor and all the kids bedrooms on the second) Is there a powder room accessible to guests or will guests have to use a family bathroom. Are there any weird pass throughs - like you have to go through a bedroom to get to the only bathroom. Do you have to go through one bedroom to get to another. Is the dining room big enough for shabbos and yom tov? If the kitchen is not eat-in, it is practical to have every meal in the dining room? Is there a place for a sukkah? Is it on a main road such that it is very hard to pull out of the driveway. Are there steep stairs or driveway that will be hard in the winter?

Dolly Welsh

Thu, May 07 2015, 3:39 pm

Brilliant post. But people will do all that to live where they want to live. Location is all.

Perhaps a house free of all those very real miseries does not exist except at a higher price. Yes. They are miseries.

You could perhaps double up the children and take one of the upstairs bedrooms as the master bedroom. As for schlepping food, you are going to be schlepping food. A cart helps. Perhaps heating elements can be put on the driveway and stairs.

The house's guts should work; roof, boiler, water, electrical.

Oh yes, it is wisdom to request recent utility bills, trash removal, and tax bill and insurance too.

It is going to be too hot or too cold. How is the air conditioning?

amother

Vermilion

Thu, May 07 2015, 3:42 pm

Kids like location. How do I know everything else? Were very not house knowledgeable ourselves?

Any telltale signs that spell problems besides smells and leaks and water spots?

Ruchel

Fri, May 08 2015, 9:23 am

Location, neighbourhood noise (neighbours who deem themselves Mozart? lol), how many things to fix, how many things to change (stained carpets) or can you live with them.

I couldn't help laughing about the powder rooms sorry. This is your last problem. Cool

Look for "hidden vices", have the fireplace looked on (very very very very important), the roofing, the isolating material.

Dolly Welsh

Fri, May 08 2015, 9:48 am

If you are concerned there will be unanticipated expenses and repairs, yes, there will. There always are.

If you are concerned the neighbors aren't nice, don't live there. That is the main thing. Nuts and bolts can be fixed.

Ruchel is right about fireplaces.

You definitely don't want severe vermin problems, because those can't always be fixed.

Listen to Mama Bear - only the pros can detect that. I would get two separate inspections. It might be an idea to get a specialist in vermin in addition to an engineer. But perhaps the engineer knows about that.

I think the general look of the landscaping tells something. People who are careful about not having dead branches, dead bushes, bare ugly spots, are probably careful in other ways too. I say that because a dead tree branch won't make you cold or wet like bad plumbing. It's outside. If that is all taken care of neatly, they have awareness and enough money for good upkeep in general.

It's not the greatest thing to have tree branches over or near the roof. It's not great to have a tree very near the house.

The pros will tell you the story, don't worry.

mummiedearest

Fri, May 08 2015, 9:59 am

get an engineer, not a home inspector. that should give you a very clear picture of repairs needed. if there are area rugs on the floor, look under them. if there are locked doors in the house, ask where they lead and why they are locked. bring a small plug-in lamp and test out the electrical outlets.

studying_torah

Fri, May 08 2015, 10:13 am

One last very impt thing- was the house properly maintained? Ours was not and has led to many things breaking down shortly after buying, which means lots of costly repairs.