should you really buy that home? - where to buy a document camera

It's easy to fall in love with the house when it seems to have everything you want.
But what if there's more in the House than your eyes can see?
A broken pipeline under the ground, a litigation neighbor, a long list of violations of the code --
These are all dangerous signals that buyers should pay attention to ensure that a seemingly ideal house is not going to be a money pit or another type of real estate nightmare.
In 2015, Dena Ferrara Driscoll thought she had found a new home: a four-year-oldbedroom, one-and-a-half-
Bath south of Philadelphia
An old house but looks well maintained and perfect for her, her husband and two children.
"We are not too worried about what will happen," she said . "
Derricker, 33, is a funding writer for The Philadelphia School District.
Unfortunately, they were wrong.
"When the inspector came out of the basement, he had the most severe expression on his face ,"Driscoll said.
Reason: the sewer is broken.
The couple was told that the cost of replacing it was between $10,000 and $20,000.
"There is an older lady in the House," she said. Driscoll said.
"She only rushed to the toilet so many times a day.
But a family of four?
We will definitely cause problems with this sewer.
"Their request to provide credit for the work was rejected, so they went ahead and ended up buying a smaller house in the same block, but they don't have to worry about where the sewage is found in the basement.
Underground problems, Foundations of bowing, associations of litigation homeowners and the flip of actually failing: a lot of things can get in the way of buying houses, and they may not be something you notice when you're on an open day.
There are three types of red flags to remember when you are looking for the perfect house.
Structural or underground issues once you bid, it is critical to find a thorough inspector.
Just as you would ask the broker around for advice, the inspector's advice is also available.
A great house inspector will point out every small problem with the property;
A less good one may miss a defect that causes a lot of repair costs.
When reviewing the inspection report, please remember that, while faulty sockets or leaking faucets can be a nuisance-like negotiating with sellers about repair costs-they are usually not enough to kill a deal.
Things that can't really be fixed, or that can only be fixed at a high price, should have buyers reconsider their dream home.
"The biggest problem will be structural failure," said Frank Leesh, executive director of the American Association of Housing inspectors.
While a small crack on the wall may not be a big deal, a crack with a bump around it, a crack that extends the length of the House horizontally, or a deflection crack, this means that part of the wall is one way and the other is one way,
This could be a sign of major Foundation issues, says Lesh.
He added that the invasion of water is the other red flag because of how damaging the water is.
Sometimes there is a simple solution: clean up the ditches if they are blocked;
If the downpipes on the foundation are emptying, please reposition them.
"But if you live next to a river or stream that always spills --
Well, you know it's going to be a long process.
A question of terminology . "Lesh said.
"It's just a matter of time.
"On 2011, water stopped 52-year-old Marcia Leiden Turner and her family from buying houses at a house in Pittsburgh, New York. Y.
The house is in the right size and there is something extra to make it attractive, like a barn.
Turner, a writer, is portrayed as a home office.
But she and her husband are worried about the musty smell in the basement room.
They also found a dehumidifier in another part of the basement.
The house inspector also raised the flag on the water issue.
He pointed out that a wall in the basement was cold and wet, and he said it was a sign of drainage problems.
The inspectors suggested adding a French drainage system which would fetch water from the house, so they reduced the offer to take the cost into account.
Before they negotiated with the seller, another buyer offered a better offer.
The couple ended up buying another house in the same town.
A few years later, madam.
Turner's husband runs a fireplace.
The product store, back in the house they almost bought, gave an estimate of converting the wood stove into a gas stove.
The homeowner told him they spent about $40,000 to fix it, including installing a French drain.
"He said something to the effect that 'glad you didn't buy it '. "Turner said.
Other structures or underground items, sir.
Lesh said it should be noted in the inspection report: lead paint and asbestos.
If the inspection does not include sending the camera to the drain and sewer, he recommends paying extra for it, especially if the house is old or near the trees, the roots of the trees may damage the pipes.
Another potential problem: the unrepaired tank, Lesh says, is a big problem on the East Coast because there are so many homes that are heated with oil.
If the national environmental agency is involved, the removal of oil tanks and the cleaning of oil spills can be both expensive and complex.
Most documents-
If you use a broker, a lender, an insurance company, or a lawyer, the questions in question are often flagged.
The title report is a place to find a lot of problems, says Gemma M.
Giantomasi is a lawyer for Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi real estate, development and land use group.
Title search can reveal things, such as the judgment of the property that will stick to the property rather than the seller;
Fire not disclosed
It is even said that the House is not owned by the person who sells the house.
For homes that used to be close to water or flood-flooded areas, buyers also need a proof that the house is at an appropriate altitude.
If you buy a house in beach town, it may also make sense to avoid the only house on the block that has not been raised.
"You need to know if you have to raise a house or pay too much flood insurance," Heather K said . ".
Colella is a broker who works in the area affected by super storm Sandy in 2012.
Not only did she suggest looking at the flood map, she also suggested going to the municipal authorities to ask for altitude requirements.
The seller's disclosure is another place to look for the problem.
But be careful with the information filled out by those who have not lived at home for a whileor ever —
President Elizabeth Mendenhall said this could be the case when a child sells the house of the deceased parent --
Elected by the National Association of Realtors: "If the seller has never lived at home, you may not be able to get an accurate picture of what actually happened at that home.
"For a house that trades frequently in a short period of time, she suggests seeing how much is sold each time.
If the dollar figure for each sale is much higher, the turnover may indicate that the property is in a hot neighborhood, not what is the problem.
For a house that was flipped, Lady
Mendenhall advises buyers to ask for proof that all contractors working on the House have paid for it.
Otherwise, the contractor may impose a lien on the House-which will affect the new owners rather than the flippers that make them stiff.
But flipping is not always a red flag.
"This is not necessarily a bad thing," Mendenhall noted.
In many cases, someone took the time and effort to build a livable old house for a new family.
However, the quality of the building should be carefully checked.
In 2012, Nikki Carpenter, a 32-year-old research foundation grant manager, fell in love with a 100-year-
Old House in the Scottish plain. J.
This has been abandoned for several years before being bought and renovated by investors.
She and her husband Joshua Pelletieri are not only in a town she likes, but also big enough for their expanding families: when they offer offers, she has been pregnant with their second child for seven months.
It looks beautiful.
Their inspectors, however, see through this.
A number of major issues are also listed in the inspection report, including the accumulation of water in the basement;
Deck not built as required;
The connector from the external water pipe to the internal pipe, which has been installed backwards;
The connection between the washer and dryer, but there is no drain from the washer and there is no vent from the dryer.
The inspector also found evidence of improper removal of asbestos.
Sellers "claim they don't know there are so many problems with it ". Carpenter said.
She and her husband did not try to negotiate a lower price, nor did they ask the seller for repairs.
"We didn't really trust them at the time, and we didn't trust them to do anything further," she said . ".
They stayed in their own apartment for a month after month and finally bought a different house in the Scottish plain.
Neighbors you can't always pick your neighbors if you move in, but you can know who is already there before moving in.
When considering property belonging to the homeowner's association or jointly owned
Op, the buyer will need the association's record of maintenance costs, as well as any increase in unit owner fees, said Moses Sulham, treasurer of the New York State Association of Realtors.
"Ask them how long the major improvements were completed, how they were paid, whether they were done through special assessments or reserves," he said . ".
If the association has been delaying maintenance or making it bigger --
Ticket repairs like roof replacement or HVAC upgrades, buyers can pay a lot of extra fees quickly.
She warned that she should also be alert to any board or association that is frequently prosecuted or frequently prosecuted
Real estate lawyer Giantomasi.
Lenders tend to be hesitant about financing such purchases --
Maybe these people are not the neighbors you want.
If there is no association or cooperative at home
Op, check the adjacent properties and their maintenance as carefully as possible.
Hang out in the neighborhood at different times of the day and feel the feeling of after school, evening and morning rush hour.
If you look at the house in the winter, try to find photos of the summer block, which can tell your neighbors if they keep the outdoor space clean and tidy. (
Google Street View is a great start. )
If a property like a driveway is shared and it is necessary to negotiate a shared repair, then a neighbor who does not maintain a home may be a bigger problem.
If the inspection report reveals the problem caused by the neighbor's property-
Like a crack in a shared driveway or a water flow from a neighbor's land into a house for sale
Buyers or their brokers should see how open neighbors are to repairs before the end of sales.
This could cost the seller a deal.
But if property and problems end up being their own property, it can also save buyers a world of headaches.