What To Ask The Seller When Buying A Waterfront Property
Buying a waterfront property may be something of your dreams, but you want to make sure that you buy the right one.
When you are in the process of buying a home, you have several steps involved in the contract. One of these steps called "The Seller Disclosures" states that the seller has to disclose anything that they know is wrong with the house. While this may be something that's in the contract, not every seller abides by this and so sometimes it's just worth asking; especially when you are buying a home right on the water.
Ask About the Shoreline
Having a house right on the water isn't just appealing, but it can also be a bit risky as well. Even if you have a house that's backed way off from the beach, you still want to know what the shoreline's history is. For instance, is it known to have a rising tide in certain parts of the summer that will eat into our beach? If so, then you may need to have something put into place like a retaining wall to make sure that you aren't losing any of your land.
Have the Dock Inspected
When you are buying a lake house, you are usually buying the private dock that goes along with it as well. The tricky thing about docks is that because the majority of it is actually underwater, it can be hard to determine its condition. Ask the seller if they have done any work on the dock lately or if they have had it inspected. If they haven't, it may be worth it to hire someone to dive underneath the dock and look into its condition.
Ask About Tourists
While you may be buying a lakefront property during the off-season, you may not know what to expect during the on-season. Depending on what you are hoping to get out of a lake home, having a lot of tourists around may or may not be appealing. If you like being around others and people watching, then buying a lakefront party in a populated part of a popular lake could be perfect.
Keeping these things in mind and asking the seller about them when you are looking at a waterfront home for sale is only going to help you find the perfect waterfront home for you. To learn more, reach out to your real estate agent. Look for waterfront homes for sale in an area you like.
