Daily Real Estate News | March 31, 2006

Sleuthing Out Property Information
If you’re considering investing in a property and need more information than a home inspector was able to provide, here’s what Sherlock Holmes would have done — if he’d been in the real estate business.

• Look for maintenance and sales stickers on appliances and systems, including septic systems. The contractor who did the installation or last provided maintenance can provide a wealth of useful information.
• Contact the city about new additions. The property inspector knows whether the structure was built to code.
• Water — or lack of it can be a huge problem. Ask the well driller about depth, flow, and record of repairs.
• What the current owner pays in taxes can be thousands less than a new buyer will pay. Talk to the area assessor for an understanding of how tax bills are computed, then do the math.