15 Things To Look For When Viewing Homes For Sale
Paying attention and looking for the right things when viewing homes for sale in Ulster County NY will save you time, money, and stress. Like anywhere, buying a home in the Hudson Valley area of Upstate New York can have its ups & downs, and can can sometimes seem like a daunting task. However if you are looking out for the right things when shopping around, the process becomes easier, less intimidating, and much more fun! At Taft Street Realty we know not all agents are created equal and many agents are either new, or have very little experience when taking buyers out in the field. We always give our best information away for free and we hope this next series of posts gives you the confidence and assurance that you are not going to miss out on a good home and, more importantly, you don’t end up buying the wrong home! So with that said, here are the first five of 15 things to look for when viewing homes for sale. Buyers should pay attention to these points order to make the most informed decisions about real estate for sale in Ulster County NY.
Drainage Problems
Ask yourself, "What is the grade of the land on the property? Does it pitch towards or away from the home?" After storms like Irene and Sandy many buyers want to be far away from streams, creeks, and rivers. But you don’t have to be near water to have water problems or flooding. All water has to drain and go somewhere, so just make sure all the water from your road (and your neighbors) isn’t draining onto your property or the one you want to buy! If there are drainage concerns, consult with an engineer to see what can be done to solve the problem. You might just be amazed at what a big excavator can do in a day! Rerouting the water to go somewhere other than into your house or basement is ideal. Homes that stay high and dry are always best…
Roof Condition & Pitch, and Gutters
This relates to drainage in many ways. Roofs are often underappreciated and overlooked when buying a home. A roof is good until it leaks - and then what are you going to do? Always keep an eye on your roof and never let it get too rough before you replace it. It’s ok to try and squeeze every bit of life out of it, just as you would with say a heating system, but there comes a time when you put the rest of the home at risk (i.e. the interior) if you let things go too long. Also know the pitch of your roof, and how flat it is. If you are in a heavy snow area then make sure you don’t let too much weight accumulate because you don’t want to have any cave-ins. Keep your gutters clean too. They play an important role in drainage and keeping your basement dry believe it or not…
Heating System
Any home approaching 25-30 years old could be in need of a new heating stystem. Some have 9 lives and last forever, others crap out well before their expected lifetime. Proper maintenance and upkeep can go a long way. The lesson here is that they can die at any time, so budgeting for a new one is important, especially if you are buying in the winter months or if the hot water comes from the heating system. Nobody wants a cold shower so make sure before you buy you know roughly how many years are left - and factor in the age of the heating system when negotiating…
Foundation Cracks
There are many types of cracks found in a foundation or basement floor. Step cracks on block foundations, vertical or horizontal cracks, slight cracks, to very large and deep cracks. Foundations can even shift, which is not good. Always ask the inspector about the severity of cracks and their honest opinion on whether or not to be worried. Most all concrete foundations will eventually crack. It’s just what concrete does, whether from stress, settling, shifting, heaving, etc. Cracks come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. Concrete is like a sponge and it naturally soaks in and releases water. Water on concrete isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a question of where is the water coming from and where is it going? Sump pumps can help, so can dehumidifiers. Determining the cause and effect of cracks will help you figure out if the home is worth buying. Most of the time it is natural and nothing to worry about. But the severe cracks, heaving, and shifting are big problems and buyers should be aware of the consequences…
Moisture In The House
Got moisture? This can relate to the 1st, 2nd, and 4th items we talked about. First things first - try to find out why. Has the home been vacant and locked up for a year or more? Are there exterior drainage issues? Is there mold present? There could be many reasons why the home is retaining moisture. A good home inspector will determine the source and will consult on various solutions. Bottom line…make sure you understand if the problem can be remedied and at what cost. And for negotiating purposes, get estimates in writing and only use professional and reputable companies to give those estimates and/or perform the work…
More To Come For Ulster County Home Buyers...
We hope you've found the first installment of our Ulster County home buyer's checklist helpful and informative. Author Dylan Taft's next article focuses on some Do's and Don'ts for Ulster County real estate, so check it out!
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