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>

Q: How much does land surveying cost?

• <div><p><a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-land-survey-cost.htm">Land surveying costs</a> about <b>$530</b> for the average homeowner. However, your total cost could range anywhere from <b>$200 to $1,000</b> or more. Factors like the size of your property play a significant role in what you pay, but other things like the survey type and the time of year can also impact the final cost. </p><p>For example, if you&rsquo;re looking for a simple boundary survey, you can expect to pay between <b>$100 and $600</b>. However, if you want a more in-depth survey that depicts the elevations of your hills and trees, you can expect to pay between $500 and $1,200 for a topographic survey. </p></div>

Question 1

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 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

How much does land surveying cost?

Accepted Answer

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Land surveying costs about $530 for the average homeowner. However, your total cost could range anywhere from $200 to $1,000 or more. Factors like the size of your property play a significant role in what you pay, but other things like the survey type and the time of year can also impact the final cost.

For example, if you’re looking for a simple boundary survey, you can expect to pay between $100 and $600. However, if you want a more in-depth survey that depicts the elevations of your hills and trees, you can expect to pay between $500 and $1,200 for a topographic survey.

Question 4

How do you calculate real estate development costs?

Accepted Answer

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You should always calculate real estate development costs on a case-by-case basis, so there’s no specific formula to estimate your total. You should speak with a local construction manager to see what you’ll need to do in terms of clearing and leveling the land, connecting utilities, and pulling permits for construction. A professional will be able to get you an accurate estimate for land development.

Question 5

Does the seller get to see the survey if a buyer pays for it?

Accepted Answer

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If a buyer pays for a survey, the surveyor they hired will only provide results to them. It’s up to the buyer whether they share the survey results with the seller or not, even if they ultimately walk away from the deal. It’s considered good faith to share the results with the seller, though, especially if you back out of the deal, as the seller can then provide that survey to future interested parties.