Real Estate Information Header

Finding Structural Problems During Escrow - Upscale Home Example


When buying and selling homes, the property purchase is often subject to a satisfactory home inspection being done. Now and then, a home inspection uncovers severe structural problems. Here's an example of a situation in an upscale neighborhood.

Severe Structural Problems

Does the buyer walk away when there are serious structural problems? Yes, but not always. A lot depends on the constraints facing the buyer (are they relocating to start a new job, or just "moving up" in the same general area?) and on how much the buyer likes the property. The attitude, maturity level, communication skills, and flexibility of both buyer and seller also make a huge difference.

It's easy to see a deal blowing up in this situation. Let me tell you about a situation I saw that actually worked out.

Structural Problems - Upscale Neighborhood

The first involved two professional couples and a house one couple wanted to sell and the other wanted to buy in an established, up-scale neighborhood. The house was a colonial style, all brick, very traditional house built about 15 years ago using top of the line materials. The kitchen and bathrooms had been modernized and upgraded within the past 3 years. Top of the line materials (marble, ceramic tile, and granite) were again used.

The house was located on an acre lot that sloped gently down to the street in the front. About 10 feet from the right side of the house, the lot sloped steeply away to a pretty stream. The lot backed to a treed area of a beautifully maintained, historic estate owned by a university and open to the public on a fee-paying basis.

The home inspector noticed that the chimney on the right end of the house was pulling away from the house. It was about 2 inches away at the top, but the bottom was still attached. In the basement, there was some cracking along the wall the chimney was on. The home inspector would not certify the house as structurally sound, but recommended that an engineering firm take a look at it.

The buyer asked the seller to have an engineering study done. The seller was upset but didn't go to pieces. Something was causing the chimney to pull away, so they called in an engineer. For legal reasons, the sellers also needed to understand what the problem was.

The engineer determined that shrink-swell soil was causing serious foundation problems. They recommended digging down a lot further than the original footers and constructing an elaborate new support system. The sellers agreed to do it and the buyers agreed to delay closing until the work was completed. Thirty thousand dollars later (out of the sellers' pocket), the transaction closed.

In Closing

When considering the above example, what is the moral? If you keep a cool head and look for solutions, structural problems need not be a deal killer.

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.


MORE RESOURCES:

Leading Real Estate Company Announces Over $1 Billion in New ...
MarketWatch - 17 hours ago
HOUSTON, Nov 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Historic Real Estate Inc. Gets Aggressive Despite National Slowdown in Real Estate Development Historic ...


Realtors Say Foreigners Hold Key to Real Estate Revival
FOXNews - 10 hours ago
By Phil Keating American real estate agents say there's a surefire way to help the country's plummeting real estate market: Let foreigners retire here after ...


Real Estate Market Slumps, Showhomes Soars
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
Like many companies in the real estate industry, Showhomes posted huge gains in the housing boom. In 2004, at the height of the boom, Showhomes helped ...


Investment Regimes for Indian Real Estate Sector Explored
MarketWatch - 6 hours ago
Just as water seeks its own level, global investment, too, is gushing into real estate in India; its meandering path is revealed in detail in the following ...


Moody's: Commercial real estate prices rise
CNNMoney.com - 16 hours ago
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Commercial real estate prices increased in September, according to Moody's/REAL Commercial Property Price Indices, ...


Winston & Strawn Continues Growth; Adds 19 Litigation, Corporate ...
MarketWatch - 16 hours ago
Nelson and Bristol handle private equity, project finance and real estate matters globally. Lapping brings his restructuring and bankruptcy practice to the ...


Architects see drop in real estate design contracts
Los Angeles Times, CA - 12 hours ago
One way to tell if a recovery is on the horizon is to check in with architects. When they start drawing, development eventually follows. ...
Key RE Index Drops to Record Low in October Housing Wire
Billings by architects fall in West Bizjournals.com
all 65 news articles


Reuters

Target shareholder revises real estate proposal
The Associated Press - 13 hours ago
Ackman unveiled a plan last month that involves creating a real estate investment trust that would take ownership of the land Target owns underneath its ...
Pershing revises Target land spin-off proposal Bizjournals.com
Pershing's revised Target proposal out Wednesday Reuters
Troubled retailer+Ackman= $5 bln REIT IPO? Reuters UK
guardian.co.uk - LEAPSInvestor.com
all 131 news articles


Commercial Real Estate Debt Index Plummets
Wall Street Journal - Nov 18, 2008
By PRABHA NATARAJAN WASHINGTON -- A commercial real estate debt index plummeted Tuesday after a Credit Suisse research report warned that two loans included ...
UPDATE 1-Economy, TARP conspire against commercial mortgages Reuters
Westin, Promenade Commercial Mortgages Near Default (Update2) Bloomberg
UPDATE 1-Big CMBS loans seen near default, index yields soar Reuters
Wall Street Journal - Bloomberg
all 31 news articles


Artis Real Estate Investment Trust announces monthly cash distribution
FOXBusiness - 8 hours ago
Artis is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused exclusively on commercial properties located in primary and growing secondary markets in ...
‘Amid global economic slowdown, investors are well-advised to ... Business Mirror
Crombie REIT announces monthly distribution Canada NewsWire (press release)
Investors Real Estate Trust Announces Increase in Regular ... FOXBusiness
FOXBusiness
all 24 news articles

Real-Estate - Google News

General Real Estate Information HomeHome ContactContact
Real Estate Information © 2006