Thoughts on property purchase - your opinion

Hello everyone,
we were there again over the weekend and took another look. We are currently sure that we want it. I am writing now because I would of course like to have a soil survey done beforehand. And I would like to get some offers regarding clearing, for that a big tree in front of the property still needs to be removed, it stands right in the middle of the property :)

So now no question directly about the property, but how would you approach the matter regarding the real estate agent. Agents are of course interested in closing the purchase contract as quickly as possible. But if I tell her now that I first want to have a soil survey done and want to get offers for clearing, wouldn’t that scare the agent off and she would continue to offer it for sale to others, right? I just don’t want to have everything ready and then it’s sold to someone else... :(
A soil survey is extremely important, if it turns out that the soil is so bad that building might not be possible (just to put it dramatically) or only with deep foundation costing 50,000,-, then the purchase looks very different. Or because of groundwater etc.

Should I tell her openly or delay the appointment a bit (we are on vacation for 2 weeks or so now) or communicate openly with her. I am open to communicate, but not if it is then sold elsewhere, because the location, price, and size are great.

We also met a very nice neighbor right across the street; she told us a lot about the place and the location. On the property itself there are 3 big piles of construction rubble – she also said right away that it comes from our neighbor to the right. So we already know what kind of guy that is.
We are already thinking about confronting him :) It’s very strange behavior to dump your trash there – but we are warned :)

Hello Thomas,

where there is an agent, there is also an owner/seller. The agent is a broker, mediates and takes care, and is obliged to name a potential buyer to the seller if there is one. Only then can the selling party agree to a waiting period. This is called a reservation :) The construction debris is, of course, still the seller’s responsibility, you don’t want to buy construction debris. Possibly the current owner knows nothing about his illegal dump. He is probably not exactly eager for further unnecessary hassles now, but a letter of request with a deadline from his side should be enough for the culprit to take care of his trash. However, if the culprit denies it, you probably can’t do anything without evidence. Maybe a rare brick from him is lying on the garbage heap? Anyway, this can be a starting point for price negotiation if you should/must buy the garbage heap with it. But: the price is always determined by demand: if potential interested parties are polishing the bricks at the agent’s, then you have to buy the disadvantageous components as well.

Regards Yvonne

Hello Yvonne, the real estate agent has already spoken with the owner, he wants to accommodate us price-wise regarding the construction debris :) How far, we still need to clarify. We hope that he simply takes care of the disposal. So far so good, we still hope that they agree to a reservation for the purposes of the soil survey etc.

Real estate agents of course aim to finalize the purchase contract etc. as quickly as possible. But if I now tell her that I want to first have a soil survey done and obtain quotes for clearing, that might scare off the agent and she will just continue to offer it for sale to others, right? I don’t want us to have everything ready and then have it sold to someone else... :(

You need the property owner’s consent anyway to carry out the soil survey. Therefore, you won’t be able to avoid informing the agent about this fact, no matter how she reacts. If the soil survey causes problems here: stay away.

“Buying” rubbish is always a tricky matter. Disposal costs are crazy and often underestimated. And who knows what’s under the heap? Based on conversations with the neighbor, I would probably first (nicely and very politely) ask the polluter to dispose of his rubbish, if you buy the property. On this occasion, you’ll get to know this character and can mentally prepare for the future. ;)

Just see how the neighbor reacts. If it's his debris and he clears it away quickly, then it's no drama. If he denies it (which could very well be true!), the matter is with the seller, so it's not your problem anyway. But - assuming it actually is the neighbor's debris - then you immediately know what kind of neighbors you have. ;)

Best regards
Dirk Grafe

Hello Thomas,

We also met a very nice neighbor directly across the street, she told us a lot about the place and the location. On the property itself there are 3 large piles of construction debris – she immediately said that it comes from our right neighbor. So we already know what kind of guy that is, roughly speaking.

Then you should drive over to the "nice" neighbor again and ask her about the soil conditions. If she owns the property, she should be able to give you at least an initial outlook.

When it comes to "hearsay" I would always be very cautious – the friendly lady may seem nice to you; maybe the right neighbor and she have an old score to settle? Talk to the property seller about the matter and listen to what he suggests ;)

Otherwise, I am always in favor of the straightforward approach! Inform the real estate agent – you need the seller's approval to alter his property anyway – and explore the possibilities of reserving the plot with her; possibly for a fee.

Building a house – and purchasing the necessary land for it – has a lot to do with truth and trust. Even though I know that reality often proves me wrong, I wouldn’t want to gamble away these important cornerstones ;)

Rhenish greetings