hen buying and selling actually worked out.
homes, the property
purchase is often subject Structural Problems - Upscale
to a satisfactory home inspection Neighborhood
being done. Now and then, a home
inspection uncovers severe The first involved two
structural problems. Here's an professional couples and a house
example of a situation in an one couple wanted to sell and the
upscale neighborhood. other wanted to buy in an
established, up-scale
Severe Structural Problems neighborhood. The house was a
colonial style, all brick, very
Does the buyer walk away when traditional house built about 15
there are serious structural years ago using top of the line
problems? Yes, but not always. A materials. The kitchen and
lot depends on the constraints bathrooms had been modernized and
facing the buyer (are they upgraded within the past 3 years.
relocating to start a new job, or Top of the line materials
just "moving up" in the same (marble, ceramic tile, and
general area?) and on how much granite) were again used.
the buyer likes the property. The
attitude, maturity level, The house was located on an acre
communication skills, and lot that sloped gently down to
flexibility of both buyer and the street in the front. About 10
seller also make a huge feet from the right side of the
difference. house, the lot sloped steeply
away to a pretty stream. The lot
It's easy to see a deal blowing backed to a treed area of a
up in this situation. Let me tell beautifully maintained, historic
you about a situation I saw that estate owned by a university and
open to the public on a the problem was.
fee-paying basis.
The engineer determined that
The home inspector noticed that shrink-swell soil was causing
the chimney on the right end of serious foundation problems. They
the house was pulling away from recommended digging down a lot
the house. It was about 2 inches further than the original footers
away at the top, but the bottom and constructing an elaborate new
was still attached. In the support system. The sellers
basement, there was some cracking agreed to do it and the buyers
along the wall the chimney was agreed to delay closing until the
on. The home inspector would not work was completed. Thirty
certify the house as structurally thousand dollars later (out of
sound, but recommended that an the sellers' pocket), the
engineering firm take a look at transaction closed.
it.
In Closing
The buyer asked the seller to
have an engineering study done. When considering the above
The seller was upset but didn't example, what is the moral? If
go to pieces. Something was you keep a cool head and look for
causing the chimney to pull away, solutions, structural problems
so they called in an engineer. need not be a deal killer.
For legal reasons, the sellers
also needed to understand what
About the Author:
Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - providing homes for sale by owner, "FSBO", properties. Are you thinking, "Should I sell my home?" Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to sell your home sale for free for one month.
Source: www.isnare.com
