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Should Buyers Inspect Septic Tanks?
Should buyers inspect septic tanks? When making a home purchase, many rural areas do not have public sewer service. In these cases, a septic tank is used, and it is buried under the ground usually down a foot or two. These tanks are recommended to be pumped out 3-5 years, depending on with whom you speak. The more people, the more flushes, the more laundry, the more showers. If you start having a back up, call your septic service quick.
During a buyer’s inspection period, buyers are afforded an opportunity to inspect the septic system. There are many types of systems such as an engineered dosing systems, and most often in Sacramento County you will see leech lines running from the septic.
I had an instance where a buyer did not inspect the tanks as they felt when the time came they would just replace it. In some counties, you can not put in a new tank if you live within a public sewer system area, then the city can force you to hook up and then the buyer is responsible for all the costs. Keep in mind this can be $50,000, more or less.
Another seller I represented used a monthly chemical treatment and thought his septic system was fine. I advised them to do an inspection clean out and they declined. The new buyers did an inspection and the tanks failed. With only 7 days left to close it was an Act of Congress to get the repair completed on time but, we did it. All new system and leech lines were needed. We also had to break out part of the concrete driveway, which cost $5000 and over, resulting in $15,000 in costs at the final hour.
A buyer in Sutter County took my advice and did a septic inspection. The tanks were failing as the leech lines were used up and not working properly. They had to pay to pump out each month until the new sewer came into their area, in about 18 months.
Should a buyer inspect septic tanks? For a $500 expense, it is always a good idea to inspect. You never know what kind of repairs are needed, but often times you can get your money back and then some regarding the cost of inspection. Tanks may very well need some work, even if the tank is still in tip top shape.
If you are selling or buying a home with a septic tank, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors. We sell buildable lots, ranchettes and 80+ acre ranches. We have amazing companies that perform the inspections and pump outs. Call us today at 916-233-6759. We are with RE/MAX Gold.
— JaCi Wallace
Insider Tips for Making An Offer On A House
If you are thinking about making an offer on a house, there are many aspects beyond price to consider in your offer. First of all, make sure you have hired the very best Sacramento Realtor you can find with decades of experience. An experienced Realtor is going to know the finite details and there are so many.
The price, of course, is very important. So many buyers only focus on the list price and it can be way under market or way overpriced. Our Code of Ethics suggest we do a comparative market analysis every time we write an offer. I certainly do. Not every agent specializes in listings nor have they listed hundreds properties, which makes pricing property a pure art form. So many aspects, I could write a short story just on pricing!
As the buyer, if you are obtaining a loan always make sure you have your loan letter is attached to your offer. Hopefully, you have been ran through lender automated direct underwriting. Additionally, as we are talking about attachments, have your proof of downpayment and closing costs in your name and dated in current month, always provide those to your agent.
Write a letter to the seller about why you love this home so much. Talk about celebrations you will have there and how much you love a few particular features. Don’t underestimate the power of letters. My own house had 10 offers and the seller chose an offer, due to a letter. And the seller was an agent, me.
The costs of sale in the purchase agreement are important. Always a good idea to split the costs or, in seller’s markets, pay entirely for title and escrow. The transfer taxes and home warranty can also be split 50/50. The natural disclosure company should always be noted, we use Property ID for $99. Try not to ask for personal property (lenders don’t like it) unless you expect, for example, that the washer and dryer will stay. Your good faith deposit is always important. In California, liquidated damages are 3%, so it is a good idea to have an earnest money deposit be less than 3% of the purchase price.
Time frames: always find out from the listing agent what the sellers need regarding closing date. If they want time in the house after closing, great, give them a week or two. This can win the offer for you. Schedule your close date at the first date the lender says they can close escrow. Shorten time for inspections and appraisal contingencies. In some instances, you can remove the appraisal contingency upfront.
Do not ask for repairs such as pest clearance or or roof repairs in your offer, which can sour the positive mood of the seller. You have an inspection time period to verify everything, so don’t ruin the day for yourself. Shorten the inspection and loan contingency dates as that will help instill seller confidence in your offer.
This does not mean you can’t ask for repairs, but it depends on what it is and how much. I usually suggest to clients that they do not ask for anything not related to safety items; for example, wiring splices and improper venting would qualify. Breakers that are not working correctly, also another safety item, a red flag. A closet door off the tracks, not so much.
There are many other items but these are a few important steps for your checklist when writing an offer on a house. Simply ask your Realtor to follow these guidelines and you will have a much better reception from the listing agent. If you want to win when you make an offer on a house, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors today at 916-233-6957 We write offers to win!
— JaCi Wallace
Weintraub & Wallace
