Q: What if I can’t find any records of when my house was built?

• <div><p>If you can&rsquo;t find any records online, you&rsquo;ll need to contact your county clerk&rsquo;s office to do further research. They should have property records on file, or can at least point you in the right direction of who to contact. You can also speak with your neighbors about when their houses were built because they were likely built around the same time. </p></div>

Question 1

How much does it cost to prepare land for a mobile home?

Accepted Answer

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Costs vary, but you can expect to spend between $1,000 and $4,000 to prepare land for a mobile home or before you build a house. You’ll need to clear enough land for the foundation, which may require leveling or grading, as well as removing trees, stumps, and plants. Don’t forget to plan for permits and fees and the installation of a gas line, water line, and sewer main.

Question 2

What if I can’t find any records of when my house was built?

Accepted Answer

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If you can’t find any records online, you’ll need to contact your county clerk’s office to do further research. They should have property records on file, or can at least point you in the right direction of who to contact. You can also speak with your neighbors about when their houses were built because they were likely built around the same time.

Question 3

What should I do before hiring an excavation company?

Accepted Answer

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Prior to excavation, you should prepare the dig site and call 311 before you sign anything.

To get your site ready for excavation, you should move anything in the area that isn’t affixed to the land. You can save money on the excavation by removing hardscaping, including walkways, decks, concrete patios, and paver patios.

Before you carry out any digging, you should call 311 to confirm that there are no utility lines running through your excavation site. Skipping this step could lead to severe injury and property damage if your excavator hits a water, sewage, or gas line.

Question 4

How hard is it to buy a house for the first time?

Accepted Answer

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Several government-backed lending programs can help first-time home buyers purchase a home with little money down. FHA, USDA, and VA loans are options for qualifying borrowers, though many conventional mortgage lenders will lower down payment rates to as low as 3 percent.

Question 5

What should I consider when I drill a well?

Accepted Answer

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When considering the price of drilling a well, factor in how much you’ll save in water costs per year. The average family of four uses 100 gallons of water per person per day in the U.S. With a private water well, you can save hundreds each year.

Wells are also environmentally friendly. You don’t need to worry about drinking water treated with chemicals. Talk to at least three well pump contractors in your area. They’ll be able to tell you more about your options, give you different quotes, and discuss the biggest concerns.