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#1
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What public documents can I research about a home I may want to buy?
What public documents can I research about a home I may want to buy? I
am looking to get the kind of detail one would get from, say, CarFax, when researching a car. I want to know repairs, accidents, damage, soil, foundation, etc. What are some online resources? Thx, David |
#2
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What public documents can I research about a home I may want to buy?
David
1) Check with the local property tax body or assessors office - they will usually have basic information on file and often on line. In my area for example I can pull up current taxes, sq ft, "classification", year built and a picture by address or tax number. 2) Check with you lawyer, you may wish to consider making your offer contingent on the seller providing a satisfactory "Home Seller's Disclosure" CLUE report: http://tinyurl.com/lmdkz -or- http://www.choicetrust.com/servlet/c...chor=undefined 3) You can go down to the local building department and verify that permits were pulled and all required inspections completed and passed for obvious newer work that requires permits. (If work was not permitted and passed, you as a subsequent owner may find yourself required to resolve any problems that result at your expense). 4) Ask the seller for copies of any transferable warranties (water heater, HVAC, major appliances, foundation or basement "waterproofing" etc.) 5) Ask for receipts for major improvement and maintenance - the guy who dug up the sewer last time may remember where the "mystery" clean out is located. 6) Ask the seller to provide any available instruction manuals for major appliances, including components of "systems" such as heating and cooling. (Also, if you are getting a home inspection, it's sometimes helpful to the inspector if these are available when he or she goes through the property.) 7) It's always worth asking if a seller has the original blueprints for a house or for subsequent additions or major modifications, and if so request that these pass to the buyers at closing. 8) Ask for copies of current utility bills, often these will also have a graph or table that shows energy consumption each month for the past year. "Sanity check", you are looking for costs that seem way out of line. Michael Thomas Paragon Home Inspection, LLC Chicago, IL mdt@paragoninspectsDOTcom 847-475-5668 |
#3
Posted to misc.consumers.house
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What public documents can I research about a home I may want to buy?
If you live in NY State you can find out if anything toxic was buried
there. Recently I found a site which shows these areas in detail. Don't know if every state has groups and maps like these. If anyone knows where to find them for other states, I'm hoping your question will induce someone to come forward. Go to http://www.toxicstargeting.com/toxicmaps/index.htm wrote: What public documents can I research about a home I may want to buy? I am looking to get the kind of detail one would get from, say, CarFax, when researching a car. I want to know repairs, accidents, damage, soil, foundation, etc. What are some online resources? Thx, David |
#4
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What public documents can I research about a home I may want to buy?
On 31 Jul 2006 04:13:22 -0700, someone wrote:
If you live in NY State you can find out if anything toxic was buried there. Not exactly. Yiu can find out if the State KNOWS there is toxic waste buried there. Do ya really think that if the guy decided to pur out a gallon of old pesticide, he called the State and told them? Or if was draining his used car oil in a hole in the back yard, that the State knows? Or that the gas can tipped over while he was out doing the lawn? Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file. |
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