Questions to ask before buying property or a
house: these are just some …
-what are the neighbors like and demograpphics? any kids/teens nearby (12 year olds smoking at the corners, dogs loose and snapping, do the local kids
study or are they football players - sports on the streets?, or hoods?
Look for cars up on blocks, 6ft to 14 foot fences, junkyards...
-take a pitcher/gallon of water dig a shallow hole - take a trowel along and
see if the hole holds water for more than 10 seconds if it does it might not
perk.
-ask the health inspector about 'orange streaks' in the soil.
septic tanks – does the health dept. allow trenches (cheapest)?
-if it is on hilly land what does the road commission and building inspectors
require for permits?
-is this solid rock? Or clay? There could be problems
-blasting needed or allowed with the rock and how much is
the permit to blast?
-If the land is clay, it won’t perk, might need sewers, and
damage to the foundation could occur without great expense
-double check the connection to the road,, is there a max length the drive way
can be before it is a “road”?
-is the land plattable? Can it be divided?
- Do you own the mineral rights? Who doess?
- How deep are the wells and how much do they cost? How far down is water?
-what utilities are available
---phone, electricity, gas, water
---does your cellphone get a signal?
-what are the extra and local taxes – don’t believe them
when they show you a low tax bill because when they bought the property 20
years ago, the taxable value is based on that old purchase price. Their yearly bills of $500 is significantly
different from yours of $2000, because they bought it for $5000 and you are
paying $100000!!!
-Does the land perk? What is the soil like?
- Any restrictions on this land? Animals,, sports, building heights, fencing
heights and types
- What was it used for before, any garbagge or toxic dumping done?
-Are there any restrictions of the state such as …
- -wetlands? if “any standing” water any time of the year?
- -flood plain levels
- -100 year flooding
- -water diversion from other property orr does this shed on other property
- -sewer diversions? Are you getting septtic from others?
- -any utility rights for other people accross the land
-any construction possible by others,
like gas lines/high tension wires/highways going thru
- What is the zoning?
-what is the zoning of the neighboring areas: can someone
build a kennel or pig farm adjacent to property?
-are horses allowed? What are the animal restrictions?
- Where is the building inspector? City ccounty or township? Might want to talk to him before building –
he also might know something about your builder or the property. Most inspectors are part of the “good ole
boys club”
- how much do permits cost $50 (Ky, MI)
or $2000 (Ca.)?
- What are the taxes? but what will THEY BE when you buy the land at the
current cost?
- they are asking for this property and wwhat did they pay? It might be worth it to go to the county and
look up what they paid for it.
- Do you own this land, what are the leinns?
- Any restrictions?
- Who owns mineral rights and could this include water?
- who owns the fences? Who put them theree? Were they there when the
previous owner bought the land?
Are there any adverse possession suits against this
property?(see fencing,
squatters, neighbors encroaching)
- Do you know where the property markers are?
Can the owner “walk the land” with you?
- When was a survey done and was it recorrded? Are the stakes still there?
- If this is a real estate agent ask if yyou can go thru the property with
owners. Be suspicious if they say you
cannot talk to the owners.
- Is this land owned by a corporation? Diitto mineral rights
- Who watches the property when the ownerrs are absent (find the local old
lady who watches everything - she will tell you all, so will kids)?
- Any old structures, wells, buildings, ffoundations, junk left around, pipes
- coming from the ground etc. that can cause liabilities?
- Any dirt, gravel or soil piled up or hooles laying around? (toxic sites,
- dangers, dumping).
-Any lawsuits pending on this property?
- Is this land locked land? (I once was llocked out of land with "free
access" by title, but the neighbors put up a gate, locked it, and said
"so sue
us." - - we didn't buy that land)
- Are there any access rights by other inndividuals on this property (can
- others cross it or build a road? Or makke you maintain one for them.)
- Even if the owner owned this property bbefore marriage, if this is sold
during the marriage the spouse still "owns" dower interest. Don’t let anyone fool you when they say
their spouse doesn’t have to sign anything.
- What utilities are available?
- Is this on a school bus route? (will teell how well it is maintained)
- If dirt road does it have calcium chlorride on it?
- are the roads accessible at all times oor plowed?
-Do the neighbors respect the property markers?
These might be important if your land is REALLY rural:
-are there any prisons nearby?, large “youth homes” for
criminal
youths or halfway houses?
-where are the stores and medical facilities and what are
their hours of
operation - go find out because if you need a prescription at 7:00pm and
nothing is open until 9:30 tomorrow you might get really sick.