No Pane No Gain

One thing most home inspectors will verify is the age and condition of the windows in a home.  Of course some money was likely spent on making the house look good – a lick of paint, a good cleaning and some flowers inside and out.  However, the real money (thousands of dollars) may not have been spent on replacing old leaky windows. 

My house in the Glebe needed new windows as it was over 100 years old.  No one likes putting up the winter/storm windows every fall and taking them down in the spring.  They were single pane windows and highly inefficient.  It cost approximately $12,000 to do the windows.  Overall I used an average of $1,000 per window – some far less and some far more plus installation on a three storey house.

If you are buying a house get to know how to date windows and understand the cost of replacing windows if they are close to the end of their usefulness.

Photo credit:  Old Window @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/doc-adams/3857296378/

Zingers #113 – Red River Blues

Before buying your house along the river find out the history of flooding on that section of the river.  Most rivers, with residential property on the banks, have a conservation authority that established building rules (such as proximity to the bank, type of construction and plantings).  Go to the Authority and find out the flooding history.

Don’t get sandbagged into buying the wrong property. 

Zingers #112 – Here kitty, kitty

If you have ailurophobe (the fear of cats), make sure that you let your real estate agent know.  Most listings indicate if there is a cat in the house.  If you cannot be in a house with a cat, then your agent will do everything possible to ensure that you don’t see those homes. 

Not only Andrew Lloyd Webber has Cats

Zingers #110 – Freedom on Runway #2

Are you looking at buying a house near a freeway or under a flight path?  Maybe you never entertain outside or have children who need to play in the yard.  Being near a highway or beneath the flight path is not likely to be an issue for you.  If you are annoyed with noise then locations near these are considered to be incurable defects. 

Don’t let  your peace be “leaving on a jet plane”.

The Ottawa House – Dehumidifier

Ottawa summers are very humid.  Just check the humidex and you will see that being located in a valley impacts the temperature and level of discomfort with June, July and August being the worst.  Now, if you are buying a house in Ottawa don’t be surprised to see a dehumidifier working non-stop in the basement.  In some houses, the owner has not run the line to the drain and there is a beeping sound because the tank is full.  On really hot days in summer, the tank can fill up overnight. Having a dehumidifier is essential.  Not using one can often lead to problems.

With moisture being a house buying issue, Buyers need to be aware that a running dehumidifier may be disguising problems that the owner has not be attending to over the past years.  Is there a musty smell?  Another sign is a lot of room deodorizers in the basement.  Can you see water forming on the windows?   Is there visible black mold in the corners of rooms or in the basement along the baseboards. Have the home inspector test for humidity levels.   If the level is above 45% and it is in the middle of winter then humidity is an issue resulting in bacteria, mold, mildew and wood rot. 

Watch and smell for all the warning signs of high humidity.

 Photo credit:  CIMG1106 @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcasimir/3709152335/in/photostream/

Zingers #109 – Houses are like fish

 Sometimes a Buyer will find the perfect house on the very first appointment.  What happens?  Fear sets in that not enough time was spent looking and that there is no basis of comparison.  Maybe there is something better out there.  Some Buyers get the house and some Buyers think, years later, that that house was….

The one that got away.

Consider living large in a small Ottawa space

Living big in a small space.  There are hundreds of websites that discuss how to de-clutter and decorate small spaces.  Before you get to the decorating, think about buying a smaller house.  How much space do you need? 

Unless you have a big family there is very little chance that you are going to need a living room, a family room, den and a recreation room.  On top of that new houses have enough room in the master bedroom to make a private sitting area.  The question should be private from whom?  If you have the empty nest, retired, never had children, single child situation then you might want to consider going small.  It need not be about the money.  Some very expensive homes in Ottawa are small, perfectly outfitted and located in prime locations.  You will not have the big house to clean or the huge yard to weed and mow.  These are the upside. 

My neighbour is in the process of moving from an 1,800 sq ft home to something over 7,000 sq ft.  She said that she has never had to de-clutter because she has always had space in her house to save things.  Now that she is moving, she will be able to keep everything.  The house is lovely and there will definitely be space to spread out and reason to buy new things.  Good for her but she is leaving the centre of town.  Everything is a trade off.

There is something out there for everyone.  Bigger is not always better.  Consider trading space for a “jewel” of a house. 

Photo credit:  The Doll House @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/morticide/3768730608/in/photostream/

Zingers #108 – Incurable defects

 When you are looking for a home be aware of some defects that cannot be corrected or can be but with extraordinary expense.  Your home inspector will point out things that are most likely correctable.  However, what the inspector is not doing is looking at the location of the house, the size of the yard and the efficiency of the layout. 

Vaccinate yourself with knowledge about the house and location.

Zingers #107 – Knock knock

Do you want to see a house that is for sale?  Ask your agent to schedule a visit. Most homes for sale have the owner still living on the premises with family and family needs.  Be respectful and avoid asking for supper time (5 – 6) and after children go to bed (8 or 9). The owners will have to stay in the house and you will not be able to really see the house.

You are not the dinner or sleep over guest.

6 Steps to Buying in a Hot Ottawa Market

 

 

When looking for a home in locations where the average Days on the Market is low and bidding wars are common, a prudent Buyer needs to be prepared. This is a Sellers’ Market and a Buyer needs to be ready. 

 

  1. Get your financing pre-approved. Visit a mortgage broker and your bank. Know what the financial lender is willing to provide, roughly how much it will cost and how quickly the lender can make the final approval on a mortgage.  Know your financial limits. 
  2. Identify a lawyer and a home inspector. 
  3. Spend time identifying your “must haves” such as locations, school districts, minimum number of bedrooms and baths, and any other essential features you must have.  
  4. Get as much market information as possible from your agent about the current housing situation and prices.
  5. Search for your new house and, when you have one identified, bid. Look at all the comparative house information provided to you by your agent to help determine what you will offer. This will help inform you about the values in the neighbourhood.  In your offer, eliminate as many purchasing conditions as possible.  You could do a home inspection before putting in the offer.
  6. To avoid being caught in an emotional bidding session.  Keep in mind what you have decided as the value of that particular house. Bidding wars are competitions that you may not want to be emotionally caught in participating.

Finally, if you get the house, congratulations are in order. If not, then start the process again.

Photo credit:  Red Hot Market @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsarkasim/3899340088/

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