Real Estate Infrastructure? Should I Care?
Smart Home Buyer’s Planning Guide – Vol. 2
Infrastructure is not to be confused with amenities. Those home features will be addressed in another volume of the “Smart Home Buyer’s Planning Guide.” Don’t fret! You can find a separate link to each new volume which will be posted in the right hand column.
Introduction
Infrastructure considerations are often overlooked by most buyers, sellers, and missed entirely by most brokers! Why would a buyer expect to be informed of major concerns outside the parameters of the condition of the home. Well, brokers don’t have a stake in the purchase beyond their commission, and many brokers I have asked say that it is the buyer’s job to investigate. After all, it’s not going to be their home! I disagree emphatically! A broker who is worth their weight will, at minimum, care about whether you are safe, happy, and healthy in your new home. Period.
The Problem
Most people have a hard time seeing passed the beautifully designed deck surrounding the swimming pool, the well organized workshop with expensive freestanding tools included in the sale, the perfectly comfortable home office or craft room, the park like setting with built-in outdoor grill set off by the french door entry to the yard, the cozy slate fireplace with visions of family gripping their marshmallow topped hot cocoa during the holidays, the handy central vacuum unit, and the gourmet kitchen from where you plan to do your top rated cooking show.
Admit it! We are all guilty to some degree. Sometimes the potential for sweat equity as buyers consider upgrades, or the utter perfection in a stunning, turnkey dream property will cause a case of tunnel vision that will cost buyers dearly down the road hindering their grand resale plans.
Often, as a real estate professional, I find myself asking clients to step back and take a minute to think through the devilish details. They can be deal killers if not addressed up front! The most often overlooked consideration can be the difference between reaching your ideal of quiet enjoyment or meeting your objective resale value!
The train tracks, the airport runway, the enormous electrical current running through main power lines may all have an effect on buyer preferences when aware of their presence. Infrastructure is important and can make or break a community in the perceptions of many buyers, so it should be scrutinized very carefully.
Main Concerns
Is the neighborhood well-connected by roadway and/or public transit? Are there ample points of entry and egress to the property? What if there was a fire or flood engulfing the only entry point to your home? Will you travel over congested bridges, or through poorly paved roads? Will it have an impact on your car maintenance such as causing wheel alignment issues? How easy will it be to traverse the same thoroughfares during each season? Are certain roads prone to flooding? What are your alternative routes?
Are the roads entering and leaving the home passing through neighborhoods that make you uneasy, or that your future buyer may find unappealing? This may not affect you right now, but how about when your 12 year old turns 16 and begins their inexperienced exploration of driving in your community? How many sleepless nights will it alleviate to find a home in an area that doesn’t raise your eyebrows, not to mention your blood pressure? A perceptive broker will catch issues affect your resale value and bring them to your attention.
The Children
How will your children get to school? Do the schools provide busing? Is after school care available? Where are the bus stops, and how late do they run? How close are local community colleges and public transportation in case you home educate your teens, or have a bright child who would like to enroll concurrently while in high school? It really happens!
Are other means of continuing education offered locally, especially if your child doesn’t do well with distance learning applications? Are mobile tutoring services offered, or brick and mortar centers located nearby? A child with braces may need to see their orthodontist quite often. how far must emergency help travel to reach the home? Will your children be at home alone? Are there neighborhood watch programs in place? Concerned parents want to know these things. Whew! I know! I never thought of half of these issues before I became a real estate Broker.
You can’t prevent life from happening to your kids, it’s true. When I came to the Portland Metro Area from California I was amazed to learn buyers of real estate are NOT notified, or guided to available resources to find information about violent offenders. I feel it is imperative, even though it’s not something we like to think about. Let’s not skip a visit to the sex offender list to be sure you are aware of any potential threats to your children’s safety.
You would never forgive yourself if you didn’t take the time to check, and you will be better prepared through awareness. Here is the link for the State of Washington Sex Offender Registry, https://www.waspc.org/sex-offender-information. Here is the link for the State of Oregon Sex Offender Registry, https://sexoffenders.oregon.gov/. If you do not know already, you should be aware of the threats surrounding your own current address as well.
Recent Challenges in Portland Metro
The recent COVID 19 restrictions placed on brick and mortar educational institutions, workplace and office settings, I have found my knowledge and expertise in high demand. Let me share how I can put my knowledge and experience with 20 years as a home educator and work as an entrepreneur in the field of home organization to work for you!
Allow me to help you find the perfect home that will be most beneficial for your students and for your sanity! You can believe I know the challenges you face all too well. Don’t hesitate to call or send an email to get started moving to that perfect place you know is out there for your family to live, work, educate and play!
“Order is the sanity of the mind, the health of the body, the peace of the city, the security of the state. Like beams in a house or bones to a body, so is order to all things. ”
– Robert Southey
Elderly and Special Needs at Stake?
None of this may be a factor now, however people with aging parents or children with special needs have the potential for future care requirements. The answer to these questions are important factors that should affect your decision, after all, one day you will be the target of AARP solicitations as well!
Where is the closest senior center? What sort of services are available for adult daycare? Where is the closest firehouse? How far is your doctor, and dentist office? This may not affect everyone, but people who regularly see their doctors such as the elderly, or people with chronic health conditions may require regular access.
Is there a good selection of medical, and mental health care professionals nearby? If you need to inquire about services, plan for the care needs of loved ones, or you would like to work with a broker who can provide additional resources such as the ones mentioned, please don’t hesitate to call, or email so that I can assist you in navigating the available resources.
I specialize in elder care, and special needs management. I didn’t just earn a special designation that says I know something about this subject. I lived it, caring for ALL of my own elderly family members, and coaching friends with their ailing and aged loved ones throughout the years. Life has made me a Specialist!
Currently, I serve as a Conservator of the Estate and Person of my eldest living family member. Allow me to put my knowledge and organizational skills to work to make your new home transition as stress free as possible for your family including your special loved one.
Exercise and Pets
Perhaps you are a devoted cyclist. I like to be able to cycle around my home, and prefer to be near park(s) containing stairs, picnic tables, a large grassy area, or sandpits for volleyball, and tennis courts for my workouts. If you cycle you may want to check for ample roadside space, bike lanes, or trails near your home to suit your needs.
If you have a dog with high energy, you may need a home with a park, or open space nearby in order to get exercise. You can always make cosmetic changes to your home, but you can’t, for all intents and purposes, pick your house up and move it! Be sure the local infrastructure supports the activities and lifestyle to which you and your tribe are accustomed.
Many people who have pets consider them part of their families. I have always had pets since childhood. To this day, I still bring home strays if they are in need, so I understand the significance of fur buddies in the daily life of each individual. My last great pet Mickey is a beautiful male Balinese who listened quite intently to all of my children’s woes. I am pretty sure he helped them work out some pretty tough issues.
NO! I am not just a cat person, I have raised everything from praying mantis to large farm animals. If you are planning a move with pets, you will want a broker with oodles of experience with animal behaviors so that they can anticipate their needs. Check back for my new blog addressing how to prepare and move pets safely.
Portland & SW Washington Health Safety
Are there any neighboring retail or industrial areas that affect air quality? Depending on wind direction at any given point, road traffic, automotive shops, construction and painting contractors, industrial manufacturing such as plastic production can all contribute to poor air quality. It can even present a health hazard.
You don’t want to find out you just bought a house near a rock quarry, cement manufacturer, or oil refinery AFTER escrow closes! You would be equally concerned to find out that your home backs up to poorly maintained horse stables, or a pig farm. When you look at homes, check in with all of your senses to be sure you would enjoy all characteristics associated with the property you are exploring.
What is the source of the water supply to the home? Do the waterways pass by industry, if so what kind of production is involved? how do they affect the groundwater to the home you are considering? If the home is supplied by local municipalities, does the local agency in charge provide a water report to its consumers? How does the water taste? If you have ANY concerns, you should have it tested during your inspection period. Send a quick email and let me know if you would like some guidance and perhaps a bit of education to get you started on your research.
Leisure on the Columbia and Beyond
Do you own, or plan to purchase a boat or other watercraft that would compel you to use local marinas or docks? What are the fees associated with use? Are the docks in good repair? Do they allow safe access to swimming and the open water? Are the facilities well maintained? Are the slipways large enough to accommodate use on most days you intend to launch?
If you are looking for a home with RV parking, will you have ample space to be able to maneuver and park your rig? Do you own a classic car, or other vehicle with special care requirements? Do you entertain a great deal? It is best to investigate these matters before you commit to an area with parking or water access that may not suit your requirements.
Are you trying to find a broker with specialized experience? As the daughter of a mechanic, I am an avid classic car, RV owner and enthusiast keenly aware of all the trials and tribulations of RV, and special vehicle ownership. I understand your concerns. Send an email my way and let’s get started finding the perfect property to suit your needs and accommodate your toys!
Nuisances
Noise pollution should be another concern. There are homeowners who didn’t realize their home near the county fairgrounds could be so noisy until “the fair” took place. Fourteen straight nights of funny car races, monster truck rallies, and music concerts convinced them they made a HUGE mistake! There are reasons for the Latin phrase, caveat emptor (buyer beware)! What concerns or affects one homeowner, may not be a factor to another.
Just because a buyer takes issue with a particular characteristic of the property doesn’t mean that the seller even noticed it would cause concern to their buyer. Most people are not malicious, or out to sting someone in return for getting stung. You have the right to ask a seller specific questions. A great broker can help you to nicely articulate your concerns, and know exactly the right time to ask during a transaction.
How close would you be living to the local homeless encampment? Are there any other threats to your safety in the immediate environment surrounding the home? Perhaps you know someone who lives in the area. Maybe you could have a conversation with one of the neighbors. What don’t you know that you should know?
A visit to some of the local businesses may also uncover some little known facts about the area. Are you making a long distance relocation with this move? A savvy broker will have excellent resources to share so that you can learn all you need to know about a particular area, even from a distance.
Portland Metro Traffic, Commute and Your Bottom Line
Traffic flow can affect your bottom line, not to mention your sanity on a daily basis. This aspect of home ownership warrants a deeper investigation. There are important questions to ask. Are main thoroughfares that surround the home able to handle the amount of traffic congestion at all hours of the day? What are the typical commute hours at their peak? What does the infrastructure provide in the way of alternatives? Could public transportation be a viable alternative for future travel should the traffic congestion cause an even longer commute time?
Take a peek at Portland Bureau of Transportation website which will provide maps and trip planners, schedules, and other important information to help you get around the Portland Metro Area, click this link: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/72641. You can also reference Trimet for connections between Portland and the Vancouver Washington Area, click this link: https://trimet.org/schedules/, and C-Tran for Vancouver, Washington Area public transit map click the following link: https://www.c-tran.com/system-maps/c-tran-full-system-map.
Have you used technology to help you determine your commute time to and from the home? Try using this valuable tool! The Oregon Department of Transportation Map may help you plan your commutes to and from the home you are considering. It is also helpful to use to assist out of town visitors navigate the area. It provides scheduled road closures and up to the minute conditions along your route. https://www.tripcheck.com/. To see the Washington State Travel Alerts which includes camera views of major roadways and maps of trip routes click this link: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/.
Are there bike paths and/or lanes making it easier to take a green approach to commute challenges? For Portland Metro Area Bike Maps includes the Vancouver Area as well. If you don’t use it for your commute perhaps for entertainment. It’s always nice to know everything included in the package, click the link https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/391729.
Portland Metro Area Finances, Employment and Business
Are there plenty of good jobs in your field? Are there other ways you can market your skills that are unique to the local area? If you are an investor or entrepreneur, how are the business conditions, tax obligations and opportunities going to affect the way you do business? What are the financial advantages to living and doing business in Southwest Washington versus the Oregon region? What resources are available near the location you plan to live? Keep in mind, it’s never a problem until it’s a problem! It is advisable to do your homework before you are ready to buy. Check back for future blog posts planned to address more specific local business and employment outlook in the Portland Metro Area.
Conclusion
With the amount of money at risk in the purchase of real estate, I don’t think it is possible to be overly cautious or to overthink important choices. I never want to risk more than necessary. That is just good business. My goal with this piece is to make you think about all of the concerns where more thought may save you money or stress in the long run. I want to make sure you are happy with your selection.
A wise investment can elevate your standing toward your next purchase. You don’t ever want to have buyer’s remorse with a purchase of this magnitude. Some people never recover financially from poor decisions made in haste. A caring and supportive broker who wants to see you rise to meet your full potential in life will coax you into evaluating each aspect of a promising investment with a critical eye. Good luck and happy house hunting!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out via email, or by phone for your free copy of my “Home Buyer’s Infrastructure Checklist,” and don’t forget to ask for your “Buyer Preparedness Checklist” which will help you along the fast track to home ownership!
Let’s Get Started!
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