Should I buy a home with a standing water problem?
Reader question: The house I am buying has a sump pump because of a standing water problem. I have looked at the home three times and each time I saw standing water in the next door neighbor’s yard. They had dug a long trench which runs along the side of their house facing my house. The channel is about 6 inches deep. I can deal with my standing water issue, but I fear the neighbor's water trench will attract mosquitoes, rats, and more. I have already signed a contract. What are my options?
Monty's answer: There are many questions about your situation to explore before deciding on a solution. The neighbor’s problem may be one where you can do little or nothing. Here is an article at http://bit.ly/2LCy4i6 about water issues with neighbors from a homeowner to provide you with additional information. You seem confident that you can manage your water situation, but if the neighbor is not cooperative, or the cause of the water’s presence goes beyond your neighbor, it may be in your best interest to investigate further.
Questions to consider
• Do you have a "out" from the contract? Could you walk away without a penalty?
• Do you have a survey from a licensed land surveyor that identifies the exact location of the boundary between your home and the neighbor that includes the location of the trench? It is important to ascertain that the trench does not encroach on the property.
• Does the neighbor have a sump pump?
• You state you can deal with your standing water issue. Is it because you have a sump pump?
• Where is your sump pump located, and where does the drain exit your lot?
• What have you been told about the standing water? Who has transferred this information to you? The seller? The seller's real estate agent? Your real estate agent?
• Were you furnished with a Seller Disclosure Report? What does it say about water?
• When did the neighbor dig the trench? If they filled the trench, would the water then migrate into your yard? Understanding the topography would be helpful in answering this question.
• Do the homes in the area contain basements or are they built on shallow footings?
• Do all the homes in the area have a standing water problem?