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What to check when you buy a home
What to checkwhen you buy a home
Buying a home2
Book 3: What to check when you buy a home 3
What to check when you finda home you like
Your REALTOR will help you check these things.
Outside the home
WallsDo the walls look in goodcondition—can you see cracksin the cement? If there issiding, does it look old andworn?
WindowsAre the window frames wood or metal? If they arewood, do they need repairs or painting?
Gutters and downspoutsGutters are around the edge of theroof. They collect water off the roof.Downspouts take the water away fromthe house.
Do the gutters and downspouts lookOK? Are they falling off?
RoofCan you see if there are shinglesmissing? Are there shingles whichare curled up at the edges? Thesemean you may need a new roof.
Buying a home4
Front path or drivewayIs the concrete cracked and uneven? This may make ithard if you use walking sticks or a wheelchair.
TreesThese can look lovely. Butare they very close to thehouse? If so, the branchesmay fall off on the roof ofthe house, and the rootsmay damage the pipesunderground.
Fences, shedsWill they need to be repaired?
YardIs it big? Will there be a lot of workto do? Do you like to work in thegarden, or is it easier to have a homewith just a small yard?
GarageIf you have a car, will you want agarage or carport (a shelter with justa roof), or will you leave your car onthe street?
SidewalkIf the house is on a corner, remember there may bemore sidewalk to keep clear when there is snow.
Book 3: What to check when you buy a home 5
TrafficIf the home is on a busy street, youmay be close to public transportation.But there will also be more traffic.You must make up your mind if this iswhat you want.
If you use public transportation, what is the servicelike? Can you get to where you need to go? If youhave children, how close is the home to the schoolsthey will need?
Inside the home
WallsDo the walls need repairs? Youmay need to paint or hangwallpaper.
FloorsFloors may be wood, or covered with carpet, or somekind of linoleum (sometimes called lino).
If they are wood, is it in good condition? If there iscarpet, is it worn? Do you like the colour? If there islinoleum on the floor, is itcracked or curled up at theedges?
WindowsDo they open and close easily?Do the frames need painting?
Buying a home6
ClosetsAre there as many closets as you need?
BathroomIn the bathroom, look at thecaulking round the bath and basin(caulking is the waterproof paste thatkeeps water from getting behind thebath and basin and into the walls). Will itneed to be replaced? That is not a big job, but if it hasnot been done for a long time, the walls may be dampand rotting. Are there black patches on the walls? Thisis mildew. It is not healthy for you. Does the waterflow well. You can check this if you run the tap or flushthe toilet.
AccessibilityIf you use a wheelchair or walker,there are extra things to check. Isthere a ramp outside (a slope forpeople who cannot use stairs)?Are the doorways wide? Is there room to move in thebathroom? Will it take a lot of work to make the homeeasy for you to live in? That will cost money.
BasementCheck if it smells damp. Look tosee if there are water marks onthe walls—that would meanthere has been a floodsometime. Maybe water fromthe sewer came up.
Book 3: What to check when you buy a home 7
CondoIf you buy a condo apartment, ask if the building haspost-tension cable. Some buildings were made withthese metal cables and now may need big repairs.There should be reports about them, which you canask for.
People who live nearAsk about the people who live near.Are they noisy late at night? Do theykeep dogs? Are there people you maylike to make friends with?
If you buy a condo, itis important to ask about people wholive on each side of you, or above orbelow you. In some condos, oftenthose made mainly from wood, noisecarries clearly and may bother you.
Bills and local taxesAsk what the taxes are. Ask to seesome bills for utilities (electricpower and water) and gas. That willhelp you work out how much it willcost to live in this home.
What will be left in the homeAsk what will be left when the ownersmove out. They may want to leavethe drapes, the washer or dryer, thestove or fridge, or other things. If the
Buying a home8
stove, washer or other electric things are left, ask ifthey work well.
Furnace and water tankAsk how old these are. Ifthey are new, you will notneed to replace them forsome years.
Liens (sounds like leens)Ask if there are liens against thehome. A lien means that theowner has not paid a bill forwork on the home. If the bill isnot paid off when you buy thehome, it becomes yours andyou must pay it. Your lawyerwill check if there are liens onthe home, but you can ask too.
CondoIf you buy a condominium, you will want to see theestoppel certificate which shows how much moneythe condo association has for repairs and upkeep. Italso shows that the building is insured. You will want toknow that the fund for keeping the place in goodrepair is as big as it should be.
Living in the countrysideIf you buy in the country or in a small town, there areextra things to ask about.
Book 3: What to check when you buy a home 9
WinterSometimes it is hard to go places inwinter. Ask what the roads are like.Stop and think if you may belonely if the weather is bad andyou are at home a lot.
WaterYour water may come from a sharedpipeline, or your own well, or you mayneed to pay for a truck to bring waterevery week or two.
SewageIn the country, your sewage (all the used water andwaste from your sinks, bath and toilet) may go to aseptic tank and septic field. These need to be lookedafter. You will need to pay someone to empty the tank
every year or two.
GarbageIn the country and in some smalltowns, there will be an extra cost tohave your garbagepicked up.
Ask lots of questionsThe home does not have to be perfect,but you need to know how muchrepairs will cost. The more repairsthere are, the cheaper the homeshould be.
Buying a home10
What the words mean
Condominium (often called a condo). In acondominium, all the owners in the building togetherown the land and the outside of the building. All theowners must pay condo fees each month to covercosts of looking after the shared parts. In condoapartments, fees also cover some inside parts, like thestairs.
Cement. This is a grey powder which is mixed withgravel and water to become hard and make concrete.
Estoppel certificate. This is a paper you need whenyou buy a condo. It says that the condo association islegal, is insured, and has the money it needs forrepairs.
Lien (sounds like leen). A lien means that the ownerhas not paid a bill for work on the home. If the bill isnot paid off when you buy the home, it becomesyours and you must pay it.
Local taxes (sometimes called municipal taxes). Moneyyou pay to the local government for services like roadsand road signs, sewers (drains), libraries andtransportation.
Post-tension cables. Materials used about 30 yearsago in apartment buildings. Some of these have rustedand cost a lot to repair.
Book 3: What to check when you buy a home 11
Sewage. All the water and waste from your basin,bath, toilet and kitchen sink.
Siding. This is what is put on the sides of a house.Often siding is made from aluminum. It protects thehouse.
Utilities Electricity (power) and water.
Here is a list of the booklets whichmay help you buy a home:
• The first steps when you buy a home• Mortgages and other money matters• What to check when you buy a home• Your home-buying team• Make an offer to buy a home• When it is time to move...
These booklets are for general information only.They do not take the place of professional help.
You will still need to talk toa REALTOR (this is a real estate agent), a lawyer, and a lender.
You can get copies of these booklets at:
The Home Programc/o CTD Housing Solutions Edmonton Ltd.
10242 105 Street NW, 6th FloorEdmonton, AB T5J 3L5
phone: (780) 504-6161fax: (780) 471-6831
email: [email protected]: www.homeprogram.ca
This booklet is one of a series produced forthe Calgary Society for Persons with Disabilities
and the Calgary Mennonite Centre for Newcomers.Funding from the Calgary Region Community Board,
Persons with Developmental Disabilities(Community Capacity Initiatives Fund)
is gratefully acknowledged.
© 2004 Calgary Region Community Board PDD
