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    Friday, November 13, 2020

    Home Unlabelled Real Estate: Article from NYT about a lawsuit in Chicago on sellers paying buyer agent commissions. Thoughts?

    Real Estate: Article from NYT about a lawsuit in Chicago on sellers paying buyer agent commissions. Thoughts?

    November 13, 2020

    Real Estate: Article from NYT about a lawsuit in Chicago on sellers paying buyer agent commissions. Thoughts?

    Article from NYT about a lawsuit in Chicago on sellers paying buyer agent commissions. Thoughts?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 05:20 AM PST

    Can I take my mirror with me?

    Posted: 12 Nov 2020 08:28 PM PST

    I bought a super expensive mirror for my bathroom. Defogs, light up, touch screen, Alexa enabled. My parents are moving (I'm an adult but live with them right now cause covid cancelled my campus living arrangements) and told me that they showed the house to the new buyers with the mirror and they love it and that I can't take it with me, it's illegal?! Is that true? I paid for that, it's my property and I want to take it with me. I just want to know if it's actually illegal or if they're just making that up because they don't want me to argue.

    Also* my furniture was in the house how come it's not illegal to take my bed and desk?

    Edit 2: the mirror is called QAIO! No need to read 100+ comments to find the name :) and it's anywhere from like 2k to 3k depending on size. And it's a tv!

    submitted by /u/marcopolio1
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    Guide to waiving inspections.

    Posted: 12 Nov 2020 06:54 PM PST

    FTHB here. A few months ago I closed on a SFH in the hot Boston real estate market. I hope my experience can help others who are in a similar situation, so that they can make the best decision for themselves.

    It's normal here for buyers to waive inspection contingencies, or even waive inspections entirely to be super competitive. After months of rejected offers, I finally got an amazing home by doing the following:

    • Offered 2% over list price with 20% down.
    • Waived appraisal contingency. Luckily, appraisal came back higher than my offer. You likely don't have to worry about appraisals if you're in a desirable location like Boston or the Bay Area.
    • Waived inspection entirely. Yes, I waited until after closing to get an inspection. Thankfully I did my research and passed on many houses with major problems because of my due diligence, and the house I got has no major issues.

    Talking with friends and family, my waived inspection generated the most controversy, so I'll focus on that here. It's an important topic because waiving it makes your offer extremely competitive by taking a huge load off the sellers' shoulders. If you don't know what you're doing, however, then you can ruin your life. It's therefore important to educate yourself and learn how to do proper due diligence; that is the goal of my post.

    So I'll give my advice for anyone taking this route. This post is organized in sections to help emphasize points.

    ~~~ Educate Yourself ~~~

    If you're waiving an inspection, you basically need to be your own inspector. The better your technical background, the easier this will be. I'm an engineer (but not a builder/contractor) so while I was able to educate myself on some important things, I realized that I am not a specialist or professional in the area of home inspections. For the safety of yourself and your family, you should always get an inspection prior to moving in (even if you waived it before closing), because there may be health concerns that you didn't catch. Keeping that in mind, you can still prepare yourself to catch some basic things:

    • Look at the age and location of your house, and spend some time educating yourself on the issues associated with houses built in that time period and location. Knowing this information, you can focus on what to look for. Let's take some examples:
      • Homes built prior to 1980 in all locations: There was definitely lead and asbestos in this home at some point in time. Use InspectAPedia and Google to educate yourself on what asbestos looks like, and where to find it (attics, basements, etc.). If you find it yourself, you can take pics, alert the sellers, and get quotes for removal. I'll talk about looking for lead and asbestos in my next section. Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when looking in attics/crawlspaces/etc.
      • Homes built prior to 1930s in all locations: Knob and tube wiring. It can cost tens of thousands to remedy and replace. Use InspectAPedia/Google to educate yourself on what it looks like. I'll talk about where to look in my next section.
      • Homes built in the 1930s-1940s in northern areas: People living in this time period and location thought it was a great idea to store their heating oil in underground tanks. Over time, however, these tanks leak and contaminate the soil. Thankfully the EPA has strict standards on cleaning the stuff up, but they force homeowners to cover cleanup expenses which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can't see underground, but use InspectAPedia to find out what to look for (pipes coming out of ground, etc.).
      • Homes built in 1980-2016 in the US: It was common in this time period to build foundations with concrete contaminated with a mineral called pyrrhotite. Foundations made with this mineral will crumble and crack within 10-30 years, requiring expensive foundation replacement in the $100k-$250k range. Since you don't have microscope vision, request a sample of the foundation to get a test or simply pass.
      • Homes built/remodeled in 2000-2010 in many states: Chinese drywall was commonly used in these homes, which contain high levels of sulfur and cause tons of health/breathing issues, corrosion of pipes and lots of other bullshit. Replacement cost $30k-$40k. Educate yourself on looking for signs of Chinese drywall, copper pipe corrosion, etc.
      • Recently flipped homes in all locations: If you see a house that was recently flipped and listed on the market, be extra weary. Some flippers do a great job, so it may be worth it. They also offer a great service to society by upgrading homes in poor area. Often, however, flippers cut corners and do lazy things like not connecting toilets to sewers (there are a few Redditors who documented their experience with this). If you do go for a flipped house, make sure it's been lived in for a few years by someone else; they've likely taken care of issues caused by lazy flippers.
      • Stuff that doesn't make sense for your region: Look at what's typical for your area, and be weary of things that are atypical. If you're looking at a house in Florida that has a basement, then that's stupid since it's definitely gonna flood. If you're looking in an area that commonly has sump pumps and your house does not have a sump pump, then you can expect that maintenance was poor and the foundation may already be damaged by water. Get a feel for what's normal/abnormal in your region, and be weary of things that are abnormal.
      • You get the point; educate yourself to know what to look for in your particular scenario (time period of building and location).
    • Hazardous materials. The worst part of inspecting things yourself is not missing a costly problem that can ultimately be fixed; it is risking your health by coming into contact with hazardous materials. Based on your region and time period of construction, familiarize yourself with things that are common in such situations (asbestos, lead, etc.). Also familiarize yourself with things that can happen in all homes (mold, pests, etc.) which may be dangerous to come in contact with. Spend some time on Google and InspectAPedia getting a good eye for these things. When inspecting, be sure to wear PPE (I'll cover this later).
    • Know your limits. I have some mechanical/chemical/structural knowledge through my education, so I'm good at looking for issues relating to those things. I'm not good, however, at electrical stuff. My house could have had absolutely fucked up or dangerous electrical wiring (fire hazard); that is a risk I acknowledged, budgeted for, and hired a professional to inspect before moving my family in.

    Now that you've educated yourself on what to look for, you're ready to check out the house.

    ~~~ Visiting the House ~~~

    You should check out the house a few times, but for your first walk-through make sure you allocate about an hour of time.

    Bring the following equipment in a bag:

    • Flashlight.
    • Knife, screwdriver, or other hard metal tool for scraping things.
    • Any testing device that you are interested in or can afford. For example if you're allergic to mold, bring a hygrometer to ensure that certain parts of the home aren't above 60% relative humidity.
    • Leather gloves for skin protection.
    • Clothes that you're ready to throw out if you come across something hazardous or gross.
    • Rugged shoes/boots that you don't care about.
    • Knee pads.
    • Ruler to measure cracks.
    • PPE: Goggles and P100 respirator.

    First, inspect the outside. Many issues within a house originate from external problems (usually water/moisture issues, or entryways for pests). Look for:

    • Bad landscaping where the land slopes towards the house. This means water has been collecting at the foundation, causing problems. Do not think, however, that a home on high ground has no water issues; I will touch on this later in the Water Drainage section.
    • Check for cracks along the foundation. Anything larger than 1/8 inch warrants concern and further evaluation by a structural engineer.
    • Look for signs of environmental hazards (e.g. buried oil tanks), which you would ultimately be responsible for if you own the house.
    • If there's a crawlspace, put on your PPE (goggles, respirator, and gloves) and knee pads, bring a flashlight, and check it out. Before going fully inside, spend a few minutes looking in with a flashlight to look for signs of pests (droppings, etc.), loose or dangerous insulation, or structural issues (gigantic cracks or anything that seems unstable). If you see anything dangerous, then do not enter; you need a professional to inspect this space. If everything looks clean, great!
    • Check the siding - is it damaged or has access points for moisture/pests?
    • Check where the foundation meets the siding - do you see any signs of termites? (Educate yourself on what to look for here).

    Now, inspect the inside. With your PPE and flashlight ready, head straight to the basement (if applicable) and then the attic. If the agent refuses access to the basement or attic, pass on the house.

    • Basements. If the basement is finished (especially newly finished), be cautious. Basements have a tendency to get wet, and you have no idea what's hiding behind the carpet or walls, but it's probably lots of mold or foundation damage. For a finished or unfinished basement, look for signs of water damage. Moist areas, soggy areas, water stains, anything like that. Also realize that if your house is old and in a certain area (e.g. New England), then a moist basement is natural. As long as it's not insane amounts of moisture, the foundation won't be compromised and mold won't flourish. Bring a hygrometer and check that the humidity is around 60% or less.
      • Asbestos. Look for asbestos wrapped pipes, tile, or popcorn ceilings in basements.
    • Attics. Don't forget your PPE (especially respirator) here!
      • Insulation/asbestos. Make sure you can identify the insulation (again, InspectAPedia is your friend here). Many attics in older homes have vermiculite insulation, which looks like shiny little pebbles, and is contaminated with asbestos. The cost to remove this stuff is anywhere from $5k for small attics or $30k for larger ones. Regardless, make sure you can identify the insulation, and if you are uncertain then do not proceed until you can verify.
      • If the insulation can be verified, then the other dangers to look for are mold and pest droppings (e.g. bat poop, which can be very toxic).
      • If the attic is safe to enter: look for leaks, which signal roof issues, rot, mold, pests, and other expensive/dangerous problems. If you see any moisture, realize that it's fixable but there are likely other issues.
      • Attic looks clean, dry, and has identifiable insulation? Great!
    • All other spaces. If the basement/crawlspace and attic are clean, then the rest of the house is likely fine. To be sure, do the following:
      • Run all faucets (hot and cold water).
      • Run all showers/baths.
      • Flush all toilets.
      • Open and close all the windows and doors. If doors or windows don't close properly, it signifies structural movement and foundation issues.
      • Look for large cracks in drywall, which signify structural movement and foundation issues.
      • Sloped floors are unusual in new homes, but completely normal in older homes unless you're falling over.
      • Test the kitchen appliances (stove, oven, fridge, etc.). This isn't a huge concern but it would suck to have to replace this stuff.
    • Lead. Older homes have lead, just a fact of life. If you see old peeling paint in an old home, stay away.
      • Find the water meter and water supply line. Scratch the pipe with your knife/screwdriver (wearing PPE of course) and learn to tell if the pipe is lead, copper, or iron based on the scratch color. If the metal is not identifiable, assume it's lead and realize the water line has to be replaced.

    That pretty much covers the first visit, where you should be checking for basic things like safety and issues that would cost lots of money (mold/asbestos remediation, foundation repair, water damage, etc.).

    If all looks safe and sturdy, schedule later visits to worry about cosmetics.

    ~~~ Inspecting Water Drainage ~~~

    This section is entirely devoted to water, because water is the enemy of all homes. Water damages your foundation, causes your home to fall apart, rots wood, attracts pests (termites, etc.), so it's worth spending time considering water issues.

    Water mitigation is a regional thing. Some areas are dry and don't think about water often, while others are wet. Ultimately, signs of poor water/moisture mitigation are hints that your foundation is fucked. Here's what to look for:

    • Landscaping. The land outside should not slope towards the house, thus attracting water towards the house when it rains. This is not sufficient to rule out a house, however, because some locations inevitably have hills sloping down towards a house, and this is not always a bad thing (see my section on Geography below). Ultimately you have to see the behavior of water during rain; if water pools next to the house, that's a bad sign.
    • Downspouts. Downspouts should empty water as far from the house as possible. Even if the house is on a hill, you don't want a downspout emptying water right next to the house because there might be solid rock under the hill that water can't seep through (see my Geography bullet below). If you see this, assume damage has been done.
    • Visiting during rain. Do this if you can! If you see water pooling up against the house, or flooding the property during a rain, then realize that damage may have already occurred.
    • Sump pumps. If you're looking in an area where sump pumps are common, then go with the house that has a sump pump. These things relieve pressure from the ground water that pushes against the foundation, thus prolonging the life of your foundation. A sump pump is a good sign that previous owners took measures to protect their foundation. My house actually didn't have one, but I installed one to protect my foundation, and because it's common in my area.
    • Geography. I included this because of a misconception that can backfire big time; people often think that a house higher than others on a hill is safe from water, because water falls down. DANGEROUS ASSUMPTION! Houses high up on hills are often elevated by ledge, which is an underground rock formation that water cannot penetrate. So when it rains, these houses built on ledge are likely to accumulate water in the basement because the water can't diffuse deep into the soil. A house at the bottom of the hill may be built on nice soil with no ledge, and that soil would absorb rainwater without flooding. This is why websites like FloodFactor are total BS, because they only take into surrounding topography but cannot know what's under the ground. I experienced this because I firstly assumed a house on high ground has no water issues, and almost closed on such a house. The house had a perfect rating on Flood Factor, but I still requested a visit during rain; I found that the basement seeps water from the floor during rain! Meanwhile, I visited houses during and after rain that had bad Flood Factor ratings, and they were completely dry. Moral of the story: do not rely on websites like Flood Factor which only take into account topography - it means nothing because what's under the ground dictates whether or not water will push its way into the house. I also have colleagues at work who specialize in things like ground water, and they say you really don't know if a house will get water unless you're there during rain; geography/topography really has nothing to do with it because what matters is what's under the soil (i.e. if ledge is close or far from the house).
    • Flood zones. Check if you're in a FEMA flood zone - that affects whether or not you pay flood insurance (expensive).

    ~~~ Other Things ~~~

    • Be weary of stuff that doesn't make sense for your location: Regional building practices are often commonly used for a reason. For example, Florida is basically at sea level with lots of wet soil and floods; this is why Florida homes don't have basements. So if you're looking at a Florida home and it has a basement, GTFO.
    • Check the permits. Call the city building department and request all permits. If any are not signed off, or if there are missing permits for a recent remodel/addition, then the sellers will be required to get an inspector to sign off on the permits. This can be a good thing (basically a free inspection).

    ~~~ After Closing ~~~

    Now that you own the house, the first thing to do is to make sure that it's safe to move in. Here's what to do:

    • Get a professional inspector to come give you their opinion on major things (structural, electrical fire hazards, etc.) that would affect the health of occupants.
    • Get a radon test, which usually takes a few days of measuring. If radon levels are high, it's not a huge deal; just install a mitigation system for $1k. Short periods of exposure are minimal risk.
    • I'm getting tired, but others may weigh in on things to check for.

    Anyways, this outlines everything I did when I waived the inspection to get my amazing house. After closing, I got an inspection and the inspector commented on how I picked the right stuff to look out for. I told him that I'm unfamiliar with electrical systems, so I wanted to make sure everything is safe and not going to catch fire before my family moves in. Thankfully, all was clear there.

    EDIT: Removed links to external sites via sub rules (no links to external sites unless they are newsworthy).

    submitted by /u/Engineer-7
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    How long is too long to hear back from a real estate agent?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:28 AM PST

    My husband and I aren't in a rush to buy a home, meaning we are taking our time and really looking at everything with no timeline, but we have a real estate agent to help us with our questions and start looking at different properties. I don't know if there's a type of etiquette for these things but how long is too long to hear back from our real estate agent after our initial meeting?

    submitted by /u/liltxchicken
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    How will my and my husbands credit be affected by applying at one or multiple mortgage brokerages? Is there a time frame we should apply to more than one brokerage in so our credit is less affected?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:16 AM PST

    Delayed Closing

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:57 AM PST

    Hi everyone! My husband and I are in the process of buying a home. The contract was signed Sept 17 and was contingent upon the seller finding a new home. Closing was set for November 17. We found out 2 weeks ago that the sellers' contract on their new place fell through. We were told we can find a new place or wait things out, and since we love this place and see no other homes on the market that we are interested in, we want to wait. So now, everything is literally in limbo. Is there anything I should be asking or requesting at this time? Should we have a new date set? Could this go on for several months? Thank you so much in advance!!

    submitted by /u/RachEliz223
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    Sale Recording a Day Late w/ the County?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:10 AM PST

    In CA. We were supposed to close yesterday the 12th. Wired our money on Tuesday. We didn't want the keys until today the 13th anyway but we're being told the sale hasn't been recorded at the county and we can't get our keys until then. They're saying it should happen before 5 today. We have 2 contractors coming right away this morning and our agent has to let them in while we just chill in our car. Does this shit happen often? Who's fault is it really? Title or lender?

    submitted by /u/steamy_fartbox
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    Looking to buy the house I’m renting !

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 06:35 AM PST

    Hello! Hope you're all doing well. I am currently in college and staying in a really cute good condition rent house. Its in a great neighborhood, right down the street from a rec center, elementary school, police station, public pool- etc.

    I will be graduating next December, and I'm looking to buy this house. I'd like to buy it, make some minor improvements and rent it out.

    The owners are interested in selling "down the road" for around $70,000 (it's been paid off for years and just sitting while they built a new home).

    With that being said, what should I do here. Obviously, I'll need to approach them. I know that, I'm looking for advice in the actual buying part.

    I will be getting my real estate license next spring, and I want to get my foot in the door in owning property and I think this is a great opportunity!

    Any advice here folks?

    submitted by /u/pastalovin_feminist
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    Storm Shelter, House Renter

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:03 AM PST

    We are renting a house in Oklahoma that doesn't have a basement or storm shelter. I am from the East Coast so I have no experience with tornados. I do know however that there have been some pretty severe tornadoes to hit the area I am in. If we owned the property I would have a storm shelter installed, but we are renting for the couple years we have to spend here out in Oklahoma. There's not really any sturdy interior room in the house as it's mostly open concept with a lot of windows. The house is in a pretty new development and is made of brick and rock material. Not sure if that has any weight in being a safer structure or whatnot. Am I being completely crazy or is it necessary to think of these things as a precaution? I know the locals don't worry about tornados much, but being from a different area I've always looked as tornados as the scariest thing ever. I just know as soon as tornado season hits I'm going to be so terrified and want to have safety measures in place. There's no public shelters in town and I know that there's usually never much of an advanced warning. Is there anyway we could negotiate having a storm shelter put in with the landlord?

    submitted by /u/butterflylightz
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    What would be a cool gift to give a newly home-owning friend?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 12:14 AM PST

    Question for Listing Agents about Presales vs Public Listings

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 06:11 AM PST

    I saw a new condo development in my neighborhood and became interested in buying. The early sales started in January via email, but since then no listings have been put on public sites like Street easy. I got another email in August saying that they had "begun pre sales".

    It's now November. Is there a reason why there still aren't public listings? Is the building selling so well that they don't need to advertise? I know this listing agency has other buildings in the area, so I thought maybe they're trying to reduce competition within their own sales, but that doesn't make sense given that the building developers are all different.

    I also wondered if COVID had anything to do with a delay in listing publicly. Is it possible that the developer wants to wait until they can sell at a higher price?

    Note: I haven't reached out to the listing agent yet because I am in talks with another building, but was curious why I couldn't see how the first building was faring.

    submitted by /u/frenchbulldogswag
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    How can you get a mortgage for a fixer-upper that has no heat?

    Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:20 PM PST

    My fiancé and I are first time home buyers.

    We fell in love with a small beach cottage that is currently only used as a summer rental property. We thought it would be a great idea to insulate it, renovate it, and turn it into a year round home.

    We wanted to put in an offer on the home, but we've now talked to 3 banks who all said they don't make loans for homes without heat. Even though we plan to add heat on day 1, they said that won't cut it, as it won't currently pass the inspection required to get the loan.

    How do people get loans for fixer uppers without heat? This must happen all the time, right? Or do you really have to buy these kind of properties in all cash?

    Any ideas?

    submitted by /u/fppfle
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    Should I buy a house (residence and renting) if I'm unsure I'll be in the area over a year?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 02:32 AM PST

    I planned on buying a rental property within a year or so (to give me time to save enough for a down payment), but it occurred to me that since I'm also looking for a new place to stay I could utilize the VA home loan to do both now. My job is remote so I have been considering moving to another state in the near future, so I'm not sure if it makes sense to buy a house here. Should I just rent an apartment instead?

    submitted by /u/EphReborn
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    Major leak an hour after settlement

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:54 AM PST

    Hi, Right after I signed papers and went to the house there was a major leak discovered and it wasn't disclosed The ink hasn't even dried yet, what are my options?

    Can I back out or request money?

    submitted by /u/pharmonphire
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    Seller wants to give me $5k for roof repair -- How can I accept this?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:45 AM PST

    I'm looking to buy a duplex as an investment property and seller wants to give me $5k to repair the roof. I had my contractor look at it and he says he can get everything done for a lot less than 5k.

    - Seller received $5k from his insurance company to repair the roof, but he would prefer to pass that money to the new buyer since he is moving to Florida. I believe he is trying to rid himself of the liability from his insurance company legally so they don't question what he did with the money.

    - Spoke to a lender and they said it would be classified as a seller's credit and the max I can take is 2% of the purchase price (145k) on the settlement sheet. This amounts to <3k.

    - Lender said it would be best to resolve it prior to closing, whether it be him repairing the roof or creating a separate agreement between the two of us directly.

    Please advise on what the best option for me is, thanks!

    submitted by /u/ai_93
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    Built building too close to property line based off incorrect advice from city, and wondering if this will be an issue when I sell the house.

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:44 AM PST

    I got incorrect advice from the city when planning the build of my new detached 160sqft studio in Portland, OR. After installing the building 3ft from the property line, a friend mentioned that they could have sworn it needed to be 5ft, so I called again and they told me that it does need to be 5ft. I put a lot of energy into planning things out and it turns out it ended up two feet closer than it legally should be based off the original advice I received.

    It would be very expensive and time consuming to pick this structure up and move it two feet, so I am curious what sort of issues I would realistically run into leaving it in place? My neighbors don't mind the placement, and I don't think the city does routine checks for this sort of thing, but I do plan to sell the house within the next 5 years.

    My questions is, will I run into issues when trying to sell the house if this structure is technically placed incorrectly, or is this something that likely won't come up in the process of selling?

    submitted by /u/keenanbranch
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    Ways to get around homestead if looking to invest in different cities?

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:17 AM PST

    Hi guys,

    ​

    Does anyone have experience investing in different homes in different cities? What is the most common way of going about this without paying ridiculous taxes?

    would you just file the investment property as a vacation home?

    any ideas would be great.

    submitted by /u/thomasr123
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    Modular Homes

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:46 AM PST

    Hey everyone I'm new to this subreddit but am already seeing some great info! Me and my fiancé currently are living in an apartment. It's served its purpose for almost a year now, but we have a 6 month old son and could really use the space of a home. With the cost of homes around our area being $275k-$300k, we are trying to search for an alternative. Some family friends recommended we look into modular homes. We can get a Lot for about $20-30k and the typical cost of a modular home is around $150-175k built. There are several manufacturers in our area for us to look from which is good.

    My question is, does anyone have any experience with modular homes, living in one/purchasing one?

    submitted by /u/jakefromstat3farm23
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    Sellers never mentioned basement leaks from rain, just removeable snow??

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 05:00 AM PST

    We just bought a house a month ago. It is an old house with an added extension that is fully cinderblocks. The older part of the house has a poured basement and has no issues.

    The sellers indicated that the back basement wall of the extension (back wall 25 ft, 4.5 ft below grade x two side 15 ft walls, 4.5 ft below grade) sometimes seeped in the winter if snow was not removed from the ground-level wood deck, which is right up against the house. Part of the wall was blocked with stuff when we had the inspection so all we saw was one corner with discoloration along the wall-floor contact and some puffiness in the paint in the 4 cinder blocks above it. The inspector said that was an easy fix, since it so shallow to dig.

    We moved in and the lack of stuff now along the wall made it very clear that the entire bottom of the back wall, plus half of the side extensions, has seepage issues (staining, chipping paint). We had some substantial snow already and cleared it off the deck, and had no issues.

    Two days ago we had very heavy rain. I was surprised to go downstairs today to see genuine water along part of the back wall, not enough to be flooding but enough that I could see my reflection in it. There was minor seepage along most of the contact as well but it was worse in some places (at worst water was about 1 foot from the wall). I cleaned it up but the same amount of water returned after about 2 hours. The paint is discolored on the floor around 3 feet from the wall so I now realize this must be as far as the water goes.

    I am feeling quite stressed now because I thought the seepage was minimal and manageable with the snow removal ad the sellers indicated, but now it is clear rain makes it even worse and it could develop into minor flooding with enough water. I am going to get quotes on exterior waterproofing but cannot do it until next summer because it is now going to be too cold for them to dig all the way around and down. How much is a reasonable quote for this job (50 linear feet at 4.5 ft below grade)?

    Also, can anyone offer any advice on how we can mitigate this in the mean time from the inside? Do we have a leg to stand on with the sellers since they never mentioned rain causes the seeping, just removeable snow? If we had known that we would have this much water just from rain, we would have taken that into account during the negotiations to cover the cost of the repair.

    Thanks!!

    submitted by /u/Dancingdanish
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    If I were going to buy my first house this spring what are the best ways to get educated and prepared over these coming months?

    Posted: 12 Nov 2020 02:11 PM PST

    Drive by appraisal

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:48 AM PST

    Anybody know of specific banks strictly doing drive by/exterior only appraisals for HELOCs due to COVID? Looking to get a HELOC but don't want strangers in my house. Thanks in advance!

    submitted by /u/meepwop
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    Buying in Chicago During the Lockdown

    Posted: 13 Nov 2020 12:47 AM PST

    Long story short, my current primary is contingent sale and I'm trying to figure out my next move.

    Everything I have seen is telling me that the Chicago condo market has been frozen solid, and on top of that the mayor just announced another lockdown today.

    Considering the above, are we now at the point where it's reasonable for me to make a sight-unseen lowball cash offer with a 45 day inspection contingency on a 60 day close? I'm currently out of state and don't want to deal with 2 weeks at the O'hare Hilton and 2 weeks on my return unless I know something is moving forward.

    For the record, I would be looking at 2BR/2Bath in Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, and Loop with City/Lake views.

    submitted by /u/Retumbo77
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    30 minutes to accept the counter offer? Mistake or intentional? Bay Area, CA, USA

    Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:58 PM PST

    EDIT - SELLER AGENT RESPONDED BACK, IT WAS AN ERROR. THEY FORGOT TO CHANGE THE DATE.

    We just made our very first offer on a house. At 9:30 we received the counter offer and as soon as I open the pdf I see the offer expires in 30 minutes?

    Its my first time buying a house, is this common? Is there a red flag?

    The offer has mostly all contingencies except for appraisal. We put an offer with 5k+ the listing amount and they are asking for 5k more.

    submitted by /u/idontknwnething
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    Buying house when wife lives and works in another state.

    Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:28 PM PST

    Hello, Wife and I are wanting to purchase a home in Texas(where I am currently living and working) but she currently is living and working in Illinois. We wanted to use both of our incomes and was just wondering if this is allowed? She wouldn't be moving down for at least a year or more but we wanted to get our first home purchase as soon as possible so I can stop wasting money on rent.

    submitted by /u/chivas604
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