Rainy Day Home Hunting Can Pay Off

Normally you won’t have problems scheduling a showing during bad weather unless the seller doesn’t want their home tracked up or they have something to hide.  Most buyers will stay home all warm and cozy because they are afraid they might melt in the rain. This is YOUR opportunity!

Obviously it is a great time to find those roof leaks.  Unless you are looking at very inexpensive investment homes the roof shouldn’t be leaking. In most cases you won’t find water dripping in the living room but I have seen porch roofs dripping on the patio.  Sellers will normally jump right on a leak inside the house but don’t see the same urgency on something like a patio cover.

It is a perfect time to discover street and driveway flooding issues.  Many times developers cut roads through flat pastures for subdivisions. Especially in rural areas, the subdivision roads are built without storm drains and since everything is flat there is no place for the run-off to go.

Be particularly aware of cul-de-sacs as they will often be collectors of excess street water.  Look for driveway ruts, potholes and the elevation of the driveway compared to the surrounding land.

 What may look like a dry creek bed or drainage ditch can turn into a raging river during heavy rains.  What better time to evaluate them than during a good rain storm?

Many times drainage ditches were adequate when built but more homes, construction or debris have changed their effectiveness.  Also be aware when home hunting that these kind of lots can have plenty of trash carried downstream and their share of unwanted animals from snakes to raccoon’s. 

In North Texas we have our share of ground known as black gumbo. It’s far from the best in terms of drainage.  Besides the foundation problems this soil is known for, it can sometimes result in your front yard becoming a swamp from standing water with nowhere to go.

If your developer just cut roads through an old flat pasture, you need to consider where any run off will go. During a rainy day is a perfect time to check for possible swamp land at your front door.

Everyone keeps their gutters clean, right?  I have seen homes for sale with gutters so full that small trees are growing in them.  Besides the obvious trees, you can see how well the gutters are doing their job during a good rain storm.  Are they big enough, property sealed and is the water diverted away from the house or just dumped by the front door?

This is your best opportunity to judge how the general lay of the land affects the property. Is the ground incorrectly sloped towards the house, outbuildings, arenas, workshops or barns.

If on a septic system, is it placed in an area that won’t have ponding water?  How will the neighbor’s land slope and drainage affect your property?  If there is a real pond on the property, where will it drain if it gets full?

This is a perfect time to judge the usefulness of the mud room or decide if one can be added.  Are there sufficient walkways so you can get from your car to the home through the mudroom vs. the front door?

Whenever you consider rural property and even in subdivisions in town, you should check for the floodplain.  Having one is not a knock out and may even be beneficial depending on your property use but knowing about it is imperative.

You can check the FEMA maps, property surveys, and sometimes the CAD (Central Appraisal District) for note of flood plains but you should definitely ask your insurance agent to confirm its existence and how it might affect your rate or need for flood insurance.  If financing, your lender will require a flood plain certification.