Things to look for/beware when buying a house?

[Lithp]

HI,

It appears I will most likely be moving to the Lower Mainland area of BC to work. I will probably be working in Richmond but may live in Surrey or somewhere close to Richmond but not so expensive. I need to buy a house.

Are there any things that are native to the LMD I should look for or beware when thinking about purchasing a house? I heard once that the piping for plumbing in some houses was a problem.

Anything else? i.e. areas with mould problems, insects, rodents, grow ops?

Thanks

 

[Trex]

HI,

It appears I will most likely be moving to the Lower Mainland area of BC to work. I will probably be working in Richmond but may live in Surrey or somewhere close to Richmond but not so expensive. I need to buy a house.

Are there any things that are native to the LMD I should look for or beware when thinking about purchasing a house? I heard once that the piping for plumbing in some houses was a problem.

Anything else? i.e. areas with mould problems, insects, rodents, grow ops?

Thanks

Prices in the GV area are dropping faster than a speeding comet.
They are expected to continue to fall for at least another year.

Now is the time to rent, probably for one to two years.
Wait until the bubble deflates and then lowball your heart out.

Trex

 

[Walter]

Are there any things that are native to the LMD I should look for or beware when thinking about purchasing a house?

Yes. Does it have a roof?

 

[lone wolf]

Ask Building and Planning if they can recommend an inspector

 

[Brat]

Get an inspector and have them go thru the house before you buy. It's pricey, but worth it.
They will notice things that you won't (till it's to late)

 

[JLM]

Location, foundation, insulation, electrical, plumbing, leaks and roof. Check to see if all the little things are working like faucets not leaking, minor damage repaired etc. no cracked windows. If small things aren't tickety boo- then there's a good chance major problems exist. After all that kitchen & bathroom - how functional are they?

 

[Lithp]

Thanks everyone for your replies. The home inspector will be paid by my employer so I will definately do that. are there any locations to avoid?

 

[JLM]

Thanks everyone for your replies. The home inspector will be paid by my employer so I will definately do that. are there any locations to avoid?

Check with the local police department, see where most of their problems are coming from.

 

[pgs]

If you are going to work in the Richmond area in my opinion it would be best to locate there.
Prices are high but not outragious in comparison to the whole lower mainland.
If you live anywhere other than Richmond your commute will be a nightmare,
with bridges and tunnels to deal with.
South Richmond is not as ethnic as other areas and is very pleasant with access to every where.
I would reccomend spending the extra $ and settle there.
Good luck.

 

[VanIsle]

Check with the local police department, see where most of their problems are coming from.

JLM - I assume that you mean to check with the police office to see what areas have the highest crime rate. Unfortunately, at this time, I think most of Surrey would fall under that catagory. Sir Francis - you would know the answer to this would you not? Mr. Blackbird I am sure you are on here somewhere - you probably know too and Zeus - you too. Trudey, what about you? I'm sure many of you could help this person out.
Don't go with a home inspector that your realtor recommends. It could be a disaster.

 

[daTerminehtor]

Inspector for sure, one that is insured and has a track record. Check his/her references.

Moisture! Moisture! Moisture! Check each room. There may not be leaks but with moisture you can be sure of mold not being far behind.

Checking crime rate is a great idea. Check area schools, check stores in the area. Banking... groceries.

Try the ride in to work at your regular time. If it adds an extra hour, well, may not be worth it.

Drive the area around morning/afternoon rush. Are the homes in the area neat/clean?

Hope this helps.

Good luck with the new house!

 

[Francis2004]

JLM - I assume that you mean to check with the police office to see what areas have the highest crime rate. Unfortunately, at this time, I think most of Surrey would fall under that catagory. Sir Francis - you would know the answer to this would you not? Mr. Blackbird I am sure you are on here somewhere - you probably know too and Zeus - you too. Trudey, what about you? I'm sure many of you could help this person out.
Don't go with a home inspector that your realtor recommends. It could be a disaster.

Islandpacific asking to speak of Surrey is like asking to discuss of Canada. Surrey being the largest area of all the lower mainland, it is difficult to pin point.. There is the Cloverdale area that has its problems, Fraser Heights, Cougar Creek, Whalley, Birdland, Newton, South Surrey, North Surrey, Guildford and how many more am I missing?

Area by area they have good and bad.. By Skytrain, you have bad area's just as bad as MetroTown in Burnanby ow New West.. Probably asking the business community is a really good start.. Reading local newspapers is also a good start. News is everywhere and Google is very powerful.. Use every tool at your disposal but certainly don't stop at the realtor as they only have one thing in mind and that is a sale..

 

[JLM]

JLM - I assume that you mean to check with the police office to see what areas have the highest crime rate. Unfortunately, at this time, I think most of Surrey would fall under that catagory. Sir Francis - you would know the answer to this would you not? Mr. Blackbird I am sure you are on here somewhere - you probably know too and Zeus - you too. Trudey, what about you? I'm sure many of you could help this person out.
Don't go with a home inspector that your realtor recommends. It could be a disaster.

I could be wrong but I've been under the impression parts of South Surrey (White Rock & Cloverdale) aren't quite as bad- Haven't been there for years but in the old days it was Whalley that had quite a bit to do with Surrey's reputation.

 

[pgs]

There are some excellant areas in Surrey,but the fact of commuting to Richmond still remains.The Alex Fraser bridge is a nightmare most mornings.
The tunnel is better but can be backed up almost to highway 10 some mornings.
As for the evening commute forget it,best to wait until after 6p.m.
I speak from experience believe me.:lol:

 

[Lithp]

Thanks everyone for your input. I am leaning towards Cloverdale at this point or possibly south surrey or even Langley. The commute frightens me but hey, I may have no choice

 

[missile]

If the house seems to be too good a buy and you find out the previous owners power bills are sky high..chances are it was a marijuana growop and unfit for human habitation. That's the best reason to check with the local police.

 

[JLM]

If the house seems to be too good a buy and you find out the previous owners power bills are sky high..chances are it was a marijuana growop and unfit for human habitation. That's the best reason to check with the local police.

But also a damn good lever for bargain basement price, especially if the location and property are good. Just get an estimate for repairs before you make an offer if you are serious about buying it.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

But also a damn good lever for bargain basement price, especially if the location and property are good. Just get an estimate for repairs before you make an offer if you are serious about buying it.

Wellll....a former grow op down the road from us was on the market for about a year, the asking price was about $225,000. It had lots of interest but took a long time to sell. A former mortgage broker friend said if the Crown is selling it they have time and money to hold out for top dollar. Repairs to this house would range in the $70 - 80,000 range, it did sell but the new owners had to replace the roof, flooring, some walls. There was mould in the basement and raccon damage in the attic and who knows what else. The former owners, (a Vietnamese crime ring) stole the power so the power bill would've been near normal. The grow op was busted within months of starting up because of suspicious neighbours, some of whom were RCMP.

Contrary to some, I wouldn't be too worried about going with a building inspector reccommended by your agent. Remeber, they work for you and it is in their best interest to represent your best interest. If you find a real estate agent who is difficult or you have reservations about, don't be afraid to find a new one. I've played this game often enough to know that having the wrong agent can make an already stressful situation a total disaster.:violent1:

 

[taxslave]

DO not believe ANYTHING a dirt pimp tells you. Be aware of flight paths to YVR. Stay out of Richmond as it is a flood plain. Unless of course you like a basement swimming pool.

 

[DavidB]

In addition to factors involving the property itself, also be aware of the property transfer tax. It is a sleazy way for the BC government to screw people who are new to BC. It is embarrassing that my government would resort to such acts of desperation to shake money out of people, but nowadays governments apparently have no shame.

Basically, if this is the first property you buy in BC--AND YOU HAVE LIVED IN BC FOR OVER A YEAR--the tax does not apply. In other words, wait a year before buying your first property, and keep utility bills, etc. to prove you have been in BC for over a year when you do decide to purchase your first BC property.

There is more info as follows:

http://bcmortgages.ca/bcpropertytransfertax.htm

Make sure you consult a lawyer for up-to-date information; a former co-worker of mine moved into BC, bought a house, and then almost went postal when he received a bill a few months later for X thousands of dollars (the tax bill from the BC government). Apparently his lawyer did not mention anything about the tax when he was negotiating the purchase for him.