Very Special Thread Of Real Estate Randomness

[Gayla]

Originally Posted by betenoire

I have some questions.

There is a house that I have been watching the online listing of but can't decide how interested I am in it. There are some things that I would like to know before I even bother to go look at it.

The house has a separate entrance to the basement, and the listening says that the basement has a livingroom and recroom - but no mention of a bathroom. What I want/need to know is how bathroom/kitchen ready the basement is. Like, how much plumbing is down there? Will I have to break through concrete flooring for any reason?

What -exactly- should I ask the Real Estate guy when I email him? I know NOTHING about buying houses and even less about home renovations, so I don't even know where to start.

Yay! Questions I can answer!

Ok, first off, the person who's name is on the listing is the person who listed the home for the homeowner. He works for them. He will answer your questions and be very nice to you and would go show you the house but his loyalties will always be with the home owner. Find someone to represent you. Preferably someone you know or who a friend can recommend. A buyer's agent works for you. Their commission is paid by the the seller so it doesn't cost you anything.

You can email the listing agent and just ask him what you asked above - is there a bathroom or any plumbing in the basement for a future bathroom / kitchen. He should be able to tell you that. Expect that he will ask if you'd like to set up a time to go see the house.

I'll add some stuff about general starting points in a different post.