Beegle wrote:

That is very good to know. I never had to deal with collection agencies but some of my friends did. From phone harrassment to incessant voice messages, they even started calling them at work. Very troubling. They never actually told for WHAT they were going after him for, or who they were representing. After a while the calls just stopped and that was the end of it. But still, very strange overall and very shady.

Yeah... if a collection agency was not revealing details such as who and why when it comes to the money they're going after you for then that smells of being VERY shady. As is probably blatantly obvious, it's illegal for a collection agency to go after someone who doesn't actually owe any money to a third party, thus if that ever happened and the agency continued to bother someone who owes nothing, they could potentially sue the agency for harassment and/or fraud.

Collection agencies are also required by law to attempt to submit details of an owed amount in writing over a month before they begin making phone calls to give the person who owes the amount a chance to prepare a defence should they wish to challenge it. If your friends never got such details in writing, that's even MORE shady and they may not have actually been dealing with a real collection agency, instead possibly being harassed by scammers.

All of that said though, if someone does indeed owe a particular amount, collection agencies will be incredibly insistent on getting that money, as they have nothing to lose in the attempt. :P

I have my step-brother's old cell number for the past 3 years and still get debt collector calls and crap. Despite trying to explain/resolve the issues. 800-numbers are now just untrusted by default

Oh, and about radon. It doesn't matter if you have solid concrete or not, it's radiation and comes through everything.

Radon is a gas. It's dangerous because it can be inhaled and emit alpha particles within the lungs, and because it decays rapidly into solids which can accumulate in the respiratory system and act as carcinogens. Alpha particles can't even penetrate tin foil ordinarily, so concrete or even skin are both effective barriers. If your foundation is gas tight and supplied with an above ground fresh air intake, you should be grand.

If I do repeat some advice already offered, apologies for that.
In terms of buying a new property (please note, some of my comments are based on how the law works where I live and some of these only applies to "own title" properties):

As a general rule, all fixtures (this includes anything from a light fitting, aerials, satellite dishes, brackets inside or outside of the house - or simply put, anything permanently attached to a wall, ceiling or floor) are supposed to remain. Unless, the seller specifically stipulates in the contract which items are not part of the sale. This must then be removed and properly covered (where applicable).

This may sound strange, but flush each toilet and make sure it works properly and that there are no leaks (to get a plumber out afterwards can cost a small fortune). Check all the taps and make sure they are working (open and close properly).
The warm water cylinder (geyser) is a "touch and go". I've bought a house with one working perfectly, only to give in less than a year later. Depending on what went wrong, your insurance can cover the replacement cost of a new one (where I stay, this is normally covered as part of your building insurance, which is required by the bank if you take out a bond on the property).

If you buy a property in a "complex" (particularly a town house), then you must confirm whether the property is "own title" or "sectional title". With the latter, you are not responsible for the maintenance of the outside of the property, since it is considered "communal property".
However, in any "complex" levies are normally charged to cover the expenditure for the upkeep of the communal property as well as for other maintenance.
Make sure you find out what the levies are, since you could be buying a "bargain" only to find yourself drowning in monthly levies (some levies includes municipal costs, like water and electricity, others do not). A quick look at the last audited financial statements/management accounts (not something that the Body Corporate put together for you) will give you an idea of the financial state of the complex.

Check for obvious signs of roof leakage as well as for damp on the walls (the latter is usually "hidden" behind a curtain or piece of furniture and this is normally on the side of the house that gets the most rain). Freshly painted areas normally provides a clue that something was covered up.

Where I live, a beetle (for the roof trusses) and electrical certificate is required before transfer of the property can take place.
Also watch out for unpaid municipality/council bills or outstanding levies (if applicable).
Although the attorneys are supposed to obtain the above clearance certificates, make sure you have received those.
Also note that it is normally the seller who chooses the attorneys that will handle the transfer of the property, not the buyer. However, you can ask if you can use your attorneys.

I think this is obvious, but if you take occupancy of the property before transfer has taken place, then you are liable to pay occupancy rent. This is normally stipulated in the contract as well, but just make sure that the amount stipulated is a reasonable amount.

Up to the point that the transfer of the property is registered at the deeds office, the seller remains responsible for all bills & expenses related to that property.
Technically speaking, if the seller sold you the property in a certain condition, then the seller remains responsible to maintain that property so that, when transfer has taken place, the property is in the same state (condition) it was when you signed the contract (think of the garden for example). Just make sure that is stipulated in the contract.

Depending on your budget, try and have the house painted out (on the inside) and either have the carpets replaced or cleaned before you move in. It's much easier to paint and replace/clean carpets in an empty house than a house filled with furniture.

EDIT: If the house comes with an alarm system, find out if it is a rented or an owned system. If it is a rented system and you do not wish to take over the contract, then the alarm company has the right to remove the alarm system. Some sellers fail to mention this, only with you having to fight with the alarm company.

gdjacobs wrote:

Oh, and about radon. It doesn't matter if you have solid concrete or not, it's radiation and comes through everything.

Radon is a gas. It's dangerous because it can be inhaled and emit alpha particles within the lungs, and because it decays rapidly into solids which can accumulate in the respiratory system and act as carcinogens. Alpha particles can't even penetrate tin foil ordinarily, so concrete or even skin are both effective barriers. If your foundation is gas tight and supplied with an above ground fresh air intake, you should be grand.

You are right, but if you just have a standard concrete slab without ventilation or basement it is unlikely to keep radon away. Most slabs tend to develope cracks over time, depending on climate, house/foundation settling etc. The main thing is to make sure you have proper ventilation, that's all. My house has a radon problem and I haven't done a thing about it in 15 years. Still alive though...

sf78 wrote:

You are right, but if you just have a standard concrete slab without ventilation or basement it is unlikely to keep radon away. Most slabs tend to develope cracks over time, depending on climate, house/foundation settling etc. The main thing is to make sure you have proper ventilation, that's all. My house has a radon problem and I haven't done a thing about it in 15 years. Still alive though...

Most foundations where I live these days are equipped with a flexible membrane, mostly to prevent water ingress. But I agree, proper ventilation is key.

"Does anybody own a house?"

That depends on your definition of "own" and "house".

Anything below 1300 sq ft is a shed. And no, you don't own the house if the bank owns it. 😘

Anonymous Coward wrote:

"Does anybody own a house?"
That depends on your definition of "own" and "house".

Really? Here goes :

I intended "house" as opposed to "apartment" or "condo"
-- living inside a building that's not part of a larger structure that would contain other housing and tenants (ex.: not an apartment complex)

I also intended "owning" as opposed to "renting"
-- paying for something that's currently or eventually yours, with no landlord (owning a house, as opposed to renting an apartment)

sf78 wrote:

Anything below 1300 sq ft is a shed. And no, you don't own the house if the bank owns it.

Well I guess what I'm buying is possibly a shed then, depending on how you make this calculation.

And about the bank owning... that's not the point of my questions.
I'm asking for thoughts and tips when moving from an apartment, to a house. Things you might think of, that I might overlook. Things that happened to you, that I should think of. Overall this thread has been very helpful!

clueless1 wrote:

Don't buy more house than you need. Having lots of extra room is nice but it makes it that much more house you have to keep clean and maintained. Same with yard size. In other words, bigger isn't always better. 😀

I learned this the hard way when I started renting the basement suite I'm currently living in. 🤣 Fortunately, I have an apartment lined up that I should be moved into by the end of this month, and not only is it going to be smaller and easier to take care of, but much more affordable as well. Unfortunately, owning my own home is going to be out of the cards for me for the next several years, simply because there's no way I'm going to be able to afford it with the life circumstances I've been dealing with (which I'd rather not go into at the moment, maybe later though). Then again, I'm still in my early 20s, so I have plenty of time to get my ducks lined up.

Beegle wrote:

And about the bank owning... that's not the point of my questions.
I'm asking for thoughts and tips when moving from an apartment, to a house. Things you might think of, that I might overlook. Things that happened to you, that I should think of. Overall this thread has been very helpful!

My reply was ment for the AC's post above, but yeah, sorry for derailing this a bit.

gdjacobs wrote:

If your foundation is gas tight and supplied with an above ground fresh air intake, you should be grand.

I hope it is. I didn't see any cracks when I visited the house (twice) and I know the owner has sealed the concrete floor with epoxy.

sf78 wrote:

You are right, but if you just have a standard concrete slab without ventilation or basement it is unlikely to keep radon away.

Yes. Ventilation is very important.

gdjacobs wrote:

Most foundations where I live these days are equipped with a flexible membrane, mostly to prevent water ingress. But I agree, proper ventilation is key.

These days yes, but most foundations I've seen excavated from the 1970s are just concrete on a bed of gravel with no membrane.

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

Unfortunately, owning my own home is going to be out of the cards for me for the next several years, simply because there's no way I'm going to be able to afford it with the life circumstances I've been dealing with.

Well I hope the situation gets better for you. You're young. If something doesn't work out in life you can always kick it away and start again. And depending on the issues, don't be afraid/shy to ask for help around you, or even here.

sf78 wrote:

Beegle wrote:

And about the bank owning... that's not the point of my questions.
I'm asking for thoughts and tips when moving from an apartment, to a house. Things you might think of, that I might overlook. Things that happened to you, that I should think of. Overall this thread has been very helpful!

My reply was ment for the AC's post above, but yeah, sorry for derailing this a bit.

Don't be sorry. Re-reading myself I feel like an ass, and I apologize for being rude with you. I was feeling especially grumpy after AC's reply and didn't think before posting. You have provided lots of advice and info to this thread and I appreciate your help and input.

jesolo wrote:

As a general rule, all fixtures are supposed to remain. Unless, the seller specifically stipulates in the contract which items are not part of the sale.

Yes, this is entirely true, and is the case. I think there is one ceiling lamp they want to keep, and it's written in the sale contract.

jesolo wrote:

flush each toilet and make sure it works properly and that there are no leaks. Check all the taps and make sure they are working

Everything has been tested so it's all good!

jesolo wrote:

Depending on what went wrong, your insurance can cover the replacement cost of a new one

I'm a bit surprised by this. Insurance here would probably consider it a normal house maintenance cost and not an accident/insurable event. But I'll check.

jesolo wrote:

Check for obvious signs of roof leakage as well as for damp on the walls. Freshly painted areas normally provides a clue that something was covered up.

Yes. We checked for this. The roof has been done less than 5 years ago, and we went up there to check personally. I don't know which side of the house gets most rain though, and that will be something to check. There are trees on one side, and one big tree in the front, so I'm guessing if rain comes from either of those directions, it will be mitigated.

jesolo wrote:

Where I live, a beetle and electrical certificate is required before transfer of the property can take place. Also watch out for unpaid municipality/council bills or outstanding levies.

Good point. Here it will be the insurance. They can ask for inspections of this kind before insuring me. Here the municipality bills are split between the seller/buyer on the day of the transfer. If the house is bought on the 1st of July, seller will pay 1/2 yearly municipality bills, and I'll pay the other half. This transaction is all done before a notary/attorney.

jesolo wrote:

Up to the point that the transfer of the property is registered at the deeds office, the seller remains responsible for all bills & expenses related to that property.

I understand completely, and it's logical.

jesolo wrote:

Depending on your budget, try and have the house painted out (on the inside) and either have the carpets replaced or cleaned before you move in.

Golden advice. There are no carpets in the house, but I'll definitely try to paint as much as possible before moving in.

jesolo wrote:

If the house comes with an alarm system, find out if it is a rented or an owned system. If it is a rented system and you do not wish to take over the contract, then the alarm company has the right to remove the alarm system. Some sellers fail to mention this, only with you having to fight with the alarm company.

Also excellent advice, and it applies to the house in question. Here alarm systems are generally bought, but people might have ongoing contracts with the alarm company if the system is connected to them. I'll check.

Beegle wrote:

jesolo wrote:

Depending on your budget, try and have the house painted out (on the inside) and either have the carpets replaced or cleaned before you move in.

Golden advice. There are no carpets in the house, but I'll definitely try to paint as much as possible before moving in.

haha on the other end, buy a foreclosure and just hope the old owner didnt use a sledgehammer to repaint the drywall and edit the plumbing 😈

just thought i'd leave this here:

http://imgur.com/gallery/7Kxgy

It's surprisingly accurate too.

ElBrunzy wrote:

Beegle wrote:

jesolo wrote:

Depending on your budget, try and have the house painted out (on the inside) and either have the carpets replaced or cleaned before you move in.

Golden advice. There are no carpets in the house, but I'll definitely try to paint as much as possible before moving in.

haha on the other end, buy a foreclosure and just hope the old owner didnt use a sledgehammer to repaint the drywall and edit the plumbing 😈

You like living dangerously I see!

luckybob wrote:

just thought i'd leave this here:
http://imgur.com/gallery/7Kxgy
It's surprisingly accurate too.

Great advice. Happy to be able to fix most basic electricity/plumbing/drywall/etc. myself. If I can't do something, then I'll generally learn how to do it instead of asking someone else to do it. I believe it's part ego, but also part loving the satisfaction of succeeding in a task I just learned to do. Always a better sense of accomplishment when I do stuff myself.

On a different note (but still related to the move), I packed my sound card collection recently if it's of interest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tsopHoewTA

Hope you got enough floor space or a dedicated room for your massive collection. Nice sound cards!

Cool! Good luck with the move. Fun to see the CT-1320 and CM-32P you bought from me years ago. 😀

my house I have concrete on the basement, 6 feet under ground. But when it come to floor level I trust concrete slab a lot less. I finally chose to use asphalt ( rough grade ) for my garage floor. Unlike concrete, asphalt can be patched and move with the nature of the ground.

I did put cattle carpet for the veneer, it can endure harsh https://gereports-prd.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-con … ing-on-road.jpg