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

What should I consider when planning land survey costs?

Accepted Answer

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When planning for land survey costs, you should consider the following elements as major contributors to the overall cost:

Size of your property in terms of acres or square feet
Complexity of the terrain in terms of hills, elevation changes, rocks, water, and other features
Type of survey you need (boundary survey, topographic survey, or a combination of survey types)
Distance traveled for the professional surveyor

Question 2

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 3

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 4

Do you measure from 0 or 1 on a measuring tape?

Accepted Answer

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Measure from zero on a measuring tape by placing the metal hook right up against the edge of what you need to measure. You can also latch the hook onto an open edge—of, say, a table—to accurately measure as well. If you begin at the 1-inch mark, you'll need to subtract an inch from your total.

Question 5

How do I know how deep my well is?

Accepted Answer

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There are a couple of ways you can determine the depth of your well. One method is to use a device called a well sounder. This tool has a long measuring tape containing a sensor to alert you once the end reaches the water.

Or you can DIY it by using a long tape measure with a half-filled bottle of water attached to it. Lower the tape measure into your well. Once you feel tension on the tape, you’ll know the bottle has reached your static water level. This will give you an approximate idea of your well’s depth.