Posted by Michael in Phoenix on May 10, 2002 at 12:09:53:
I’ve always gotten the best information from the neighbors. Go there on a Saturday morning when there should be a handful of people out and about.
Be “neighborly”, and make them feel like “experts”. Tell them you are very, very curious about what is going on with that house, and why they think it is taking so long to sell.
Talk to more than one neighbor. I have neighbors on three sides, and only one of them has been here long enough to “know everything”.
Oh, and here’s how strange this real estate business can get: our neighborhood has lots of houses up for sale. They are selling more slowly than the other neighborhoods around us. Why? Because most of these sellers are selling because we have 200 “day laborers” hanging around waiting to be picked up for work about 1/2 mile from here. Some call it “white flight”, but the reality is that unless you get this information BEFORE buying, you could be walking blind into a rather ugly situation.
Michael
What else should we ask? - Posted by Richard W
Posted by Richard W on May 09, 2002 at 17:56:00:
Here’s the situation. My parents are purchasing a home in Lawrenceville, Ga. It is in a very nice neighboorhood, but has been on the market for over a year. Three contracts have fallen through on it as far as we know. Inspections of the house and septic system showed that there were no major problems. The radon test however, showed a reading of 7. The house was shut up for about a year so we figured the reading would be high. Another radon test was performed today and we happened to check on it and noticed that the test cannisters were placed on the floor in the basement next to an open window. Aside from my parents, only the listing agent knew that the test was placed there today. We are now trying to do our due diligence, feeling that we werent told everything about the house. My parents are more concerned than ever as to why a house like this in this neighborhood has taken so long to sell. What else should be checked or questions should we ask?
Thanks for all your help
Richard, GA