Don't ever buy anything with an HOA. (additional fee for living there) - you can never get rid of it, it can go up, and you can never truly pay off your property.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-important-things-you-should-know-when-buying-a-house , Hanna Kretsu Report

POST

keyboardtek

keyboardtek

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

The HOA concept is essentially a forced "keep up with the Jones" authoritarian mentality. It originally was meant to give the neighborhood legal power to get a deadbeat homeowner who trashes his property to clean it up. They have evolved into a tool of harassment for power hungry Karen's with righteous attitudes.

18

18points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

Before buying your first home, you should know that you will probably need more money than you thought you would. Not necessarily to purchase the home, but to maintain it. Even if you purchase a brand new home with a warranty. Even little things like, Oh … I guess I will need to cut the grass now. I’ll need a lawn mower, and maybe a weed wacker. Maybe you have not taken into account that you will need to pay for all of your utilities and trash pick up. Maybe you had free wifi in your apartment, but now you will need to pay for it. There will be no more free maintenance guy to unclog your sink, or toilet. The list goes on, but you get the idea.

Carlos Ruano , Giorgio Trovato Report

POST

leendadll

leendadll

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

My big money shock was the bill for adjusted property taxes, based on the new selling value of the house. Back in the 80s, that was several hundred dollars. Now, I'd expect it to be a couple thousand.

9

9points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

All buyers should hire an home inspector who will take them through the house on a 4 hour inspection. The inspector should explain the major components of the home and produce a thorough report. Inspectors will also recommend a structural inspection if one is needed. At the same time, I recommend that buyers have a sewer scope inspection. If the inspector mentioned any roof defects, we will ask the seller to get their insurance agent out to see if it needs replaced (roofs can be replaced before the sale goes through). Lastly, along with inspection objection items the buyer asks the seller for, I always recommend buyers ask for an HVAC technician to inspect and repair as needed the Furnace, AC and hot water heater.

One other note: Your real estate agent should care more about the buyer’s transaction than making the sale. I tell my buyers that if the inspection doesn’t go well or if the sellers won’t make necessary repairs, I will get them out of the transaction and we will find them another property. It’s all about advocating for the buyer.

Cathy Harris , bernardbodo Report

POST

I agree with you but...

I agree with you but...

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

Don't hire an inspector recommended by your agent unless you have absolutely no choice. Your agent gets to eat and have a roof over their head because the transaction completes. Govern yourself with that in mind.

8

8points

reply

View more comments

I've bought (and sold) a lot of homes (my mother says I buy homes like others buy shoes), and these are tips that have worked for me.
Buy a home you can easily afford. A lot of people buy homes at the top of their range, and that's a huge mistake for most...never be a paycheck away from foreclosure or struggling.
Find a house with bad aesthetics and fantastic "bones." Buy the house that looks decent on the outside but has internal superficial ugliness - gross paint, carpets, etc.. As long as the major systems are fantastic (plumbing, electrical, roofing, etc..), superficial things can be fixed and will add instant value.
Buy the cr*ppiest house in the nicest neighborhood you can. It will always sell for more than what you paid for it, if you put in some elbow grease.

Julie Gurner , PhotoMIX Company Report

POST

Zephyr343

Zephyr343

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

So you flip houses

10

10points

reply

View more comments

Watch out for neighbors. When I sold real estate, I’d tell my clients to walk the neighborhood and talk to the old people. I’d have them call the cops and ask them about the neighborhood. Now, you can google streets, neighborhoods, log onto Facebook groups, etc.

Bob Adams , Klara Kulikova Report

POST

Avoidance_Panda

Avoidance_Panda

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

One thing that never occurred to me until I bought my first place, kids playing out on the street at night. Obviously not like 11pm, but if there are kids riding around at 7 or 8. You know it's a relatively safe neighborhood.

11

11points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

A homeowners biggest enemy is water. So important there is no water leaking from the bathrooms or sink, flooding the foundation or basement, and no streams or drainage that will food the property.

Rob Evans , David Brodbeck Report

POST

PattyK

PattyK

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

Plumbing is the bane of the homeowner.

4

4points

reply

View more comments

Be sure to get a "fixed" interest rate with your mortgage...and have great credit. No matter what happens in the market, you'll be grateful.

Julie Gurner , Mikhail Nilov Report

POST

leendadll

leendadll

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

If fixed rates drop, you can refi! I did it 3 times.

7

7points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

Even if you don't have kids, consider the school district's reputation. It can impact your home's resale value and is a good indicator of the overall neighborhood quality.

Kevin Kiene , JOHNY REBEL Report

POST

Think about maintenance. A place with a huge backyard might *seem* awesome...until you are mowing all day every Saturday just to keep up. Things to consider - long driveways (plowing in winter), big back yards (mowing/trimming), etc...

Julie Gurner , Michael Kahn Report

POST

Leah Brown

Leah Brown

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

I never would have even considered... the house I bought happens to be near a T intersection with a cul-de-sac on one branch. The snow plows go around the corner, back down into the cul-de-sac, then start plowing up the street and scoop EVERYTHING they dropped around the corner into the bottom of my driveway! I always have 2x sized pile as everyone else!

3

3points

reply

View more comments

I'll keep this short and sweet. it's an old cliché but here goes, location, location, location. You can have a beautiful house, a pool, 3 car garage and a tennis court, new roof, up scale appliances. But if its in the wrong part of town, good luck on property value going up. Fat chance anyone will even come to your open house. You can pretty up a pig, but are going to kiss it.

Terence M Riley , Lauren Livingston Report

POST

BarfyCat

BarfyCat

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago (edited)

• Report

Location is the only thing you can't change about your house. I worked with a refugee family who had purchased a large, beautiful, modern house. I wondered how they could afford it, but didn't question it. Until the clinic called to say that all the kids had really bad asthma and ask if the adults in the home were smoking. Nope. There is a coal-fired power plant in the backyard of the house.

1

1point

reply

View more comments

You can find this funny, but if more of a psychological guide: When you close on the house, you have to immediately do one thing before anything else - delete all of your redfin/zillow/whatever alerts. It is a law of the universe that right after buying your home, you will get an alert for your absolute dream home, and it will be listed at an amazing price.

Thomas Lindsay , RDNE Stock project Report

POST

WindySwede

WindySwede

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

1 month ago

• Report

Or just, the grass is greener....?

3

3points

reply

Property Taxes! You can purchase a lot more home in an area with reasonable property taxes unless your heart is set on downtown somewhere.

Andrea Coffin , Rakib Reza Report

POST

The Darkest Timeline

The Darkest Timeline

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

If you live in a no-income tax state, chances are your property taxes will be very high. They can be very high in states with income tax, too, for sure.

1

1point

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

Crunch the numbers. Beyond the purchase price, factor in property taxes, homeowners association fees, and potential renovation costs. Make sure your dream home aligns with your financial reality.

Kevin Kiene , Karolina Kaboompics Report

POST

Little Phoenix

Little Phoenix

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago (edited)

• Report

"homeowners association fees"? Never buy in a HOA! (Hell On Arrival)

5

5points

reply

View more comments

Be careful about real estate agents making claims about the inexpensive cost of repairs and renovations. When searching for my home I would often neglect to tell agents my profession (Structural Engineer) and simply let them talk. More often then not I'd end up giving them enough rope to hang themselves, as they'd routinely drift into speaking about things well outside their expertise. Watch out when they start saying things like "it is really cheap to knock down this wall, that is just some drywall, cheap cheap cheap".

Anonymous , energepic.com Report

POST

keyboardtek

keyboardtek

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

We bought a house for our retirement in a small town near the mountains of NC. We discovered there is a shortage of trades workers here. Carpenters are super booked and will not return your calls for weeks. If they do, they will not be able to do the work for several months. The same with electricians. Plumbers you can only get if you have an emergency. Otherwise, wait three months. The average time to build a new home here is three years. Plus the contractor has to deal with his workers not showing up because it is some hunting season.

5

5points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

You can (almost) always sell your home and move. So don't worry about your "dream home" or "lifelong home". Statistically, you will end up selling and buying something else, eventually. However, that cuts both ways. Don't buy a house you hate just because you think you should get a "starter" house. Buy something that meets your needs and that you COULD stay in, if you need to. But also don't buy thinking you can never move and buy something else (bigger/smaller/different area/whatever).

Thomas Lindsay , Jakub Zerdzicki Report

POST

PattyK

PattyK

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

And don’t over-buy. If you don’t have kids now, don’t buy a 6 bedroom house in anticipation of having kids. Too many first-time buyers think they have to have more house than they do.

2

2points

reply

View more comments

Make a list of all the things that you would like in a home. Be generous to yourself--everything you want. Now, one by one, eliminate everything you can live without. Be as brutal as you were generous.

If you've done this honestly, you now have the Dealbreaker List. These are the absolutely must-have features. Keep this short list in mind as you see homes on the street or on a website, and share this list with your real estate agent. Hold your agent to this list; if they try to show you some property that does not have ALL your criteria, refuse to see it.

Harlan Williams , Curtis Adams Report

POST

Have a solid six-month emergency fund before you buy a home. Not negotiable, in my opinion.

Thomas Lindsay , Alexander Mils Report

POST

Susie Elle

Susie Elle

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

It's not so much just having the fund, but the possibility to replenish it after you needed it.

0

0points

reply

Check appliances. You’d be surprised how many people buy a house with a bad microwave, non-functioning ice maker on fridge, poorly-working dishwasher, etc.

Aaron Pagniano , Vlad Zaytsev Report

POST

Avoidance_Panda

Avoidance_Panda

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

In the UK, Unless specifically mentioned these are not included in a house sale...

16

16points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

Know your market. Go to Zillow and see what houses have sold for in your area, before making an offer...know how competitive the market is, so you know how competitively to bid - how long do homes stay on the market? I've offered prices $100K less than ask and gotten homes, but also gotten homes by offering the asking price.

Look at the crime map for your area. There are beautiful cheap homes out there in neighborhoods you'd never want to live in. Don't be suckered in.

Julie Gurner , CardMapr.nl Report

POST

Susie Elle

Susie Elle

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago (edited)

• Report

This is very outdated. Where my sister lives, houses are sold for at least 100k above asking price. It's insane. There is no bidding anymore, it's just putting a high price down and hoping someone else didn't put down an even higher price. Where I live, houses went up in value for several tens of thousands within the timespan of half a year. Buying a house it not a deal anymore, it's a race.

2

2points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

If the home has been freshly painted inside and out, be wary. Often, paint is used to cover water stains on the interior, and siding and trim decay on the exterior.

If the home has been renovated to any degree, ask to see the signed off permits. If the Seller is unable or unwilling to produce them, be very wary. The work may have been done by a DIYer who may know nothing about codes and good building practices.

Use your nose. If any room in the house smells musty, or if you detect an odor that shouldn’t be there, be very cautious.

If the house is pre-1965, be suspicious of the electrical system until it has been inspected by your home inspector.

Ronald Greene , Curtis Adams Report

POST

keyboardtek

keyboardtek

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

The 1951 built house we purchased for our retirement home had a bad odor. But it was the only available house in our price range during the housing crunch two years ago so we bought it. The bad odor turned out to be two issues: the house had a basement with a rusted leaking drain pipe that the home inspector failed to find. Repairing that pipe and running a dehumidifier in the basement eliminated all musty basement odors. In the main floor the bad odor was from 70 year old paint on the ancient kitchen cabinets. We washed them down with white vinegar and let it set overnight. The odor was completely gone the next morning. We of course had a complete kitchen remodel done.

2

2points

reply

View more comments

Do your due diligence. See a lot of properties before making a decision. Monitor what houses are listing for and what they are closing for. Don't bid the asking price unless the seller has set an unusually aggressive price. The only way you'll know if this is the case is if you track the market for at least few weeks/couple months.

Anonymous , Mark Stuckey Report

POST

WindySwede

WindySwede

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

1 month ago

• Report

If you're lucky to be the only bidder?

1

1point

reply

Ask the current owner for any info on the house which you may need. Who cuts their lawn? If there is a well, does anyone maintain it? Who services the pool? Who services the septic? When did they replace the roof? a/c? pool pump?

Nabetsi T , Alex Green Report

POST

keyboardtek

keyboardtek

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago (edited)

• Report

I did research about homes with pools as I am a lap swimmer and thought it would be great to have my own pool. They are extremely expensive to run and maintain. You can call the power company for any house you are considering buying and find out what the monthly electric usage is. The one with the pool had electric bills over $750 a month in the summer months to run the pump and filter and the automated cleaning robot. Plus the chemicals are expensive. They require a lot of work. The same with houses that have electric baseboard heating. Super high electric bills to heat with that design.

4

4points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

prior events
Things such as floods (in the last 10-15 years), infestations, any plants/farms or other industrial activity which happened in the area (including any demolished refineries); not sure if the proximity to the cemeteries is essential to you but you can look into this as well.

One of the things that I personally came across - which is kinda funny - is that one house we looked at (many years ago) was perfect: location, scenery, neighborhood. Just an eye candy.
Then we learned that there were serious problems with the ownership: previous owner "forgot" to sell the land which the house was built on.
Yeah.
So, there was a huge prolonged litigation happening at the time and the current owner "forgot" to tell us about it until we fell in love with the house and were about to enter into a contract, and that's when it came to light.

I am sure it's a one-off weird case, but just want to tell you about it, so ask as many questions that come into your mind as you possibly can, and make sure that you retain a lawyer that protects yours (and only yours) interests.

Margo Darling , Curtis Adams Report

POST

NEVER buy a house with someone you are NOT married to. This creates a very dangerous legal relationship (general partnership) that’s very difficult to undo w/o going to court and suing one another if one (ex) partner can’t buy out the other and the home can’t be sold to settle the obligation.

Rick Ferrara , Pixabay Report

POST

BarfyCat

BarfyCat

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

Actually I'm friends with a pair of sisters who own a home together and it seems to work quite well! They each have their own private space (upstairs is a complete apartment) and they communicate well about finances, etc.

0

0points

reply

Open floor plan is still THE feature buyers want. Beyond that, an office space seems to be in high demand. At least one bathroom with a tub is important to people with children, but tubs in master bedrooms seem to have lost popularity. (Especially those huge “garden tubs" that used to be all the rage. Hardwood floors in the public spaces continue to be in demand.

Walk in closets are in high demand here as many homes are older and don't have them. A bit of fenced yard is also a big asset as many have pets. A deck in back is always a plus.

Kathie McDonald Rost , Curtis Adams Report

POST

bbfa

bbfa

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

I hate open floor plans. Who wants their kitchen in the living room? Our 1950's home has a proper kitchen with breakfast nook, separate dining room, and a walk around wall between that and the living room.

9

9points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

Value: Are you getting your money's worth?

Condition: Is the house well maintained? (An inspector will help you)

Market: You can't fight the market. Is the home in a market that is and will continue to be in demand or in a declining market?

Affordability: Do you have enough money for the down payment? Can you afford the mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance costs

Suitability? Can you see yourself living here for at least 5 years? (very hard to recoup upfront costs in less time)

Team: Do you have the right people helping / advising you? (Realtor / Mortgage Professional / Financial Advisor / Lawyer

Joseph Barton , Curtis Adams Report

POST

I agree with everything Anthony wrote, but I do have an additional concern: what are you buying?

Is this your “starter” home? If so, it’s important to find one that can relatively easily be improved upon, in an area with a solid school system (even if you don’t have kids yet). You want to make sure you can sell for more than you bought it for, to have money for the “step-up” home, and make it attractive to a young family.

Is this the home you will live in “forever”? If so, it’s important that it be convenient to your work. Also, consider how much acreage and interior space you have time and money to maintain. For instance, I love to garden. My “forever” home would have to have lots of space for me to devote to having a bigger area to plant. But some people would rather travel; in that case, their ideal home may have little or no land. How much interior space would depend upon how much you entertain guests, and how many children you have. Will you be hosting big family gatherings? Need 4 bedrooms or more?

Are you older, and/or have health concerns, like arthritis? You will need to think about accessibility. A one-level home or condo with easy parking will be essential. Think about room for ramps and grab bars. At least one large bathroom with an easy-access tub (or room for one) would be important. You’d be wise to have no door thresholds and have carpet as opposed to a hard floor surface. Another thought as to parking: even if you don’t drive, it is vital to have access to an area where a car/van/ambulance can easily reach you. Minutes count in an emergency; you don’t want EMT’s facing difficulty getting to you. The better accident-proof your home, the longer you can stay in it, and avoid expensive assisted living facilities.

If you are considering “flipping,” and are about to buy a property to fix up, think about all these considerations with your potential buyer in mind. Who will most be drawn to that house? A young family, retirees, executives? Do some research on schools, parks, commute times, gyms, elder services, area health care, etc.

Just a few ideas to get you thinking! Cheers!

Melissa Jeswald , Curtis Adams Report

POST

If everything is brand new make sure it’s not a flip house ( bought and reselling in a short time) you’ll have a second appraisal requirement which is potentially an issue depending on listing price, amount of time between transactions and actual value of improvements made.

Andrea Coffin , Curtis Adams Report

POST

Anticipate the future. Research local development plans, zoning regulations, and potential neighborhood changes to ensure your investment stands the test of time.

Kevin Kiene , Vista Wei Report

POST

WindySwede

WindySwede

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

1 month ago

• Report

Zoning is so strange to me. 🤔

2

2points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments

Price and market history. Save your money. Or look just to purchase a rental home. If there is a positive cash flow then that makes sense.

Primary residence is a money down the drain.

Edwin Johnson , Michael Tuszynski Report

POST

leendadll

leendadll

Community Member • points

posts

comments

upvotes

FollowUnfollow

1 month ago

• Report

My primary residence has accumulated over $500k in equity. It was a brilliant investment and will eventually fund my retirement.

6

6points

reply

View More Replies...

View more comments