Neighbourly advice
If the folks next door are talking, you may just want to listen
Let me give you a scenario: You found the house of your dreams. You get it inspected and there doesn’t seem to be any major issue. Should you go ahead and make an offer? Most people will give you the green light. But smart homebuyers will do a little more digging — they’ll talk to the neighbours.
I can’t tell you how many times I walk into a home that is a complete nightmare. And if the homeowners had just asked the neighbours a couple of simple questions before they bought the house, they could have avoided the entire mess.
Questions like: Was there any work done on the house recently? Was it exposed to rain during the renovation? Did it have a tarp on the roof? For how long? Who was living in the house? Was it rented? Did anything happen on the property? These are things that every homebuyer should know before they get caught up in the excitement of buying a home.
If the neighbours tell you of any suspicious activity on the property — things that could indicate a grow-op or some kind of illicit lab — then you can tell the home inspector. When they do their home inspection, they know what clues to look for: tampered electrical, patched holes in the ceiling, moisture issues, mould or irregular duct runs. These are telltale signs that say don’t buy the house unless you’ve got boatloads of money for repairs.
The other day I went to go take a look at a home with my story producer. The homeowners found out that they had an entire third floor that was hidden, or closed off, and they had no idea even though they were now living in the house. How did they find out about the third floor? By talking to their neighbours. Everyone that looked at the house assumed it was the attic — including the home inspector. And no one checked the “attic” because it didn’t have a hatch. Go figure.
You should even ask the neighbours about their home. Because they could give you the heads up on any future issues with yours. If the same builder builds them around the same time it wouldn’t surprise me if they had the same problems.
Ask them if they’ve had any trouble. Have they had termites? Does their foundation leak? A leaky foundation could be a problem with most of the homes on the same block. I’d be looking at my basement and getting a professional to look at it, too — especially if it’s finished.
A lot of people nowadays don’t talk to their neighbours — not to mention potential neighbours. But if you’re seriously considering moving in, it’s smart to know who you and your family will be living next to for the next couple of years.
Find out if the neighbours have dogs and how often they bark. Or whether any of your neighbours play instruments and practise at home. Drums are loud. I know because I play them. And believe me, you can hear the bass through cinder block.
And what about hot tubs? Some homeowners don’t think a hot tub is a big deal. But if there’s one within view from a window in your home, it could mean not opening your window for most of the year — which could be a major issue.
It’s also important to talk about mutual interests, like what to do with a shared property line. Know where air conditioning units are located in the backyard. These systems are loud. It’s worth finding out if your neighbour plans on moving theirs, or they might be hoping you move yours, which could spell trouble down the road if you don’t.
When we get into attached living spaces, talking to the neighbours takes on a whole new level. You’re living within such close quarters to each other. It’s easy for different habits to become a nuisance.
Sounds and smells travel fast in attached and semi-detached homes. If you live in a condo or townhouse and your neighbours smoke, you’ll probably smell it if your living units aren’t separated by a cinder-block firewall. Smells can travel even through electrical outlets.
If you’re thinking of moving into a condo, not only should you get to know the neighbours on your floor, talk to the ones in the units above and below you.
Noise might not be a problem with your neighbours on either side. But it might be with the ones living above and below your unit. What about work schedules? If your neighbour works at night that could mean they’ll be making noise when they come home in the morning.
And let’s not forget: Talking to your neighbours expands your support system. It’s good to hear about issues that have cropped up in their homes — and how they’ve dealt with it.
Make life less about keeping up with the Joneses and more about inviting them over.