1st time house buyer....

[draboo]

thanks,phil.

wow,a 9 foot drop,extremly fortunate for her(that she want hurt)not so fortunate for the party from whom the house was purchased!

[NeoStarO1]

Philip, I don't think lucky is the correct word, it was a miricle she wasn't injured, cast iron tub or not. that is a hell of a fall to endure not to mention being on her tailbone, suprised she didn't break her tailbone. I am just thankful she didn't get hurt.

Neostar

[cadetstimp]

Also watch out for any trees too close to the house, any roots heading for the foundation (or already there) can be very expensive to remove. Also, it could be expensive to fix the foundation.... a lot of banks will not approve funding for a cracked foundation (more of a selling concern for the future than a buying concern for you unless it's already cracked - you don't want to get stuck with a house that is difficult to sell in the future.) Get the seller to remove before purchase (contingency)

If you know the house is unoccuopied and still has water service, sometimes checking the water meter once every 24 hours for just a couple of days could help determine if there's a hidden plumbing leak in the house.

The gas company will usually come out and inspect the heater furnace for free. Good way to double check a thrid party inspection for free as far as the heating/furnace is concerned.

Dirty (multiple spash stains) or decayed wallboard near drain cleanouts may indicate frequent problems with drainage. Good thing to look for especially if the drainage is lead pipe instead of ASB.

A water heater that has its temp set too high may have a short life left. (not a big deal if home insurance will cover replacement)

Rotton eaves anywhere could be a sign of hidden water damage further up the roof.

A lot of inspectors all have written disclaimers that are signed upon receipt of the checklist nowadays, so doing a good check for yourself to verify their claims is always a good idea. Being present while the check is done would be a good idea to save time on the double check. Most third party inspectors are happy to comment on their actions during a check and answer questions, otherwise they might be hiding something regarding their process (i.e. shortcuts and skipping items)

Having dealt with a few rental houses I've gotton used to checking for these things. There's always a decision to make on what things to negotiate on and what things to simply accept but be aware of. It's always better to focus on things that affect the life of the house as a structure first (roof, termites, plumbing, heating, etc.) and then consider everything else a frill that you could fix up afterwards (yourself or contracted) or negotiate for as a second priority (making sure it won't hinder the sale). The frills are usually easier to fix yourself by financing for more or putting less down than to try to negotiate the seller to fix the small stuff (especially if your competing against other bidders).

Be wary of a house that has its services turned off (not counting phone or cable). It makes it difficult to inspect without all the utilities on. Usually services will continue from seller to buyer unless the house has been on the market for a LONG time. Escrow usually allows for a buyer to back out for certain reasons... I usually recommend adding a contingency for the seller to make sure services are running for inspection purposes. It doesn't cost much so if this contingency is refused then the seller may be hiding something (i.e. bad plumbing, electrical, heating, etc)

Hope this helps!

[mad1]

Get a circuit tester from a local hardware store, should be less than $20.00..This will tell you if the outlets are wired correctly and also checkd the "Ground Fault Interupter Circuits"

Fill up the sinks and watch for proper draining of the water.Also check for leaks under the sink around a dish washer and in the bathroom.

If you have access to the basement and it is not finished look for dark spots in the wood ceiling,floor of 1st floor,this will show water damage.Check closely around the bathroom area for this.

[Sweet]

ALSO, a few tips here...........

When inquiring about the age of the home there is one way to check (if it hasn't been remodeled). Take the heavy lid off of the toilet, typically it has a year stamp on it.

Older home may have lead paint, big problem!

Go driving in area after a real heavy rain.

Also if ur picky, check for copper pipes. Some prefer copper over galvanized.

Type of heating/cooling. Electic heat v natural gas. Stove, gas or electric (if that matters to you).

Well water or city water. City sewage or septic system or sewage treatment. Some places can have city water and a septic system and the water bill still includes waste water treatment.

School system and how it rates. Distance to schools, drive or bus? Traffic on street. And don't forget the neighbors, are u moving next door to quintuplets or worse?

Police reports. How safe is the area.
Fire dept, volunteer? How close is home to hydrant?

Community fees for whatever (like pool). Deed restrictions, can u paint ur house purple ifn u want?

Home warranty? Which appliances go or stay?

Fenced yard?

That's all I can think of now, will add more here if they come to mind.....

BTW, other peeps suggestion of ur own realator is a MUST!

Good Luck!!! Great interest rates now, think about the 15 year loan. Find a mortgage calculator online and play a bit.

[Sweet]

OH, don't forget water quality! Does every neighbor use bottled water? Even public water can be off.... then there's the fluoride and chlorine debate.....

[desmocat]

ChecK around your area for an SBA(small business administration) office. The one here will do "first time home buyer" seminars that will help you out also.
They usually advertise them in the paper, or you could ask a realtor about them.
I don't know if it's just FHA or maybe all of them, but anytime you buy a pre-existing home they will require an inspection anyway before they will give you a loan on the house.

[Sweet]

Just noticed ur in Louisville. Sooo, look into earthquake insurance, ok. Geologically, this area has some potential for some heavy quivering or much worse.

Across the river in Indiana, compare taxes and stuff.

Also, FYI, a little community in Indiana called Floyd's Knobs has a Great school system.

[jman01pa]

Wow!

Thanks for all the great advice. There is alot to learn and do. Hopefully with little hassle.

No not moving near Lexington.

Sweet - What is your connection to Louisville?


Again Thanks


J

J

[Sweet]

Have a sister in that area. They moved there about 6 yrs ago. She sends me "stuff" for my friends Kentucky Derby Party down here!