This is how you unmask questionable real estate projects

class=”sc-3778e872-0 cKDKQr”>

If you want to buy an apartment or house, it is often based on a dream that needs to come true. In doing so, one often forgets about the pitfalls of buying real estate. People often think that it will go wrong. But then nightmares follow. Here is an overview of avoidable mistakes when planning to buy a home.

Do you like the idea of ​​having more say in choosing furniture, appliances, installation and materials? However, there are also disadvantages to buying by plan. On the one hand, imagination is required: here you need to imagine everything using a plot, plans, computer images and models. And if you want to make changes during the construction phase, it’s not entirely easy.

“You have a say, but once contracts are signed and construction begins, changes above a certain level are complex and expensive,” warns the website Hausinfo, an online real estate directory that has been recommending for 20 years.

There may be surprises after the job is completed. For example, you’ve moved into your new apartment and noticed that the shower tray is scratched, the hardwood floor isn’t what you chose, or the oven isn’t working. Or because stormwater drainage for thunderstorms is incorrectly designed, there will always be floods.

What can you do? Broker Cardis gives tips: “Legally, the buyer has the right to demand that his property conforms to what was agreed before construction work begins. This means that the construction company must make the necessary changes to create this situation. By the way, the purchase contract usually sets the deadlines for such repair work.” However, it should be kept in mind that remediation is rarely seen as a priority by companies, which can lead to waiting times and frustrating follow-up calls.

In addition, the challenge may be of an interpersonal nature. Maybe you remember people in your circle of acquaintances who bought according to plan: this is often associated with tensions in the partnership. At least one of the two parties spends all his time on the construction site in a nervous, stressful and nervous manner, and the discord in marriage is increasing. After moving, the risk of conflict is even greater because the house is under construction or things are taking longer than planned. If you start construction now, there is a higher risk of delay than usual due to lack of materials.

This is a common scenario in Switzerland: homeowners want to build, get a permit, and start construction, but their plans are stopped: residents object. They feel that the project does not blend in with the environment, obstruct the view, make too much noise or otherwise harm them.

So the project comes to a standstill and waits for you to refute the opposition’s objections. Lawyers, judgments, appeals – take a long legal path. It’s like buying a piece of land and finding ancient ruins while digging. Everything would stop there. Archaeologists would come and construction would be delayed for years.

In the case of – more common – appeal from the neighborhood, the risk is there from the moment you get planning permission. Thus, your neighbors have the opportunity to learn about construction projects approved by the municipality. One of the factors that can limit the risk of objections is legal costs. However, if the dissenters are members of a property association, they may decide to share the costs of the proceedings. Therefore, assess the risk of objections before you start, and avoid properties that are subject to potential planning permission objections in the first place.

Building a house on your own is nice, but extremely risky. Major renovations to your home (like re-roofing) are very ambitious undertakings. Still, these idealistic schemes attract young couples who see them as an opportunity to save big and cut labor costs by up to 50 percent. So you get in dungarees and climb the ladder to paint the walls, or you can trowel and spread the mortar howlingly layer by layer.

Only the reality that has not yet caught up with them will be less attractive. Not everyone has the technical knowledge of building walls, insulating an attic, or laying tiles. Second, you have to consider the time commitment. Some couples dedicate weekends, holidays, and free time to it, until their quality of life begins to decline drastically. Fatigue, exhaustion, backache, skin burns, poisoning – life as an amateur on a construction site is full of obstacles and failures.

If you still decide to go there, you should not compromise on the quality of the products. Even if you can find materials and equipment at very affordable prices, don’t be fooled by cheap products. You run the risk of disappointment, both during work and in the end. It is better to invest in quality products, even if they are more expensive (which would be more economical). Finally, running your own business means that you cannot insure yourself against the risk of defect or damage to the building, as you would subcontracting to professionals. If you sell your property, you are solely responsible for any defect.

Buying a house in an unknown place without a contactable previous owner who doesn’t know your neighbors and will tell you what to expect is a bit of a lottery. It’s different when you buy from the owner who has lived there for years and can give you some clues about the neighborhood and driveway vibe.

If you own a condominium, neighbors will play an important role when you move. If the weather is cloudy, it’s too late to get out when the savings are in your own home. Evil neighbors who make life difficult for the clenched neighborhood are a real risk. Neighborhood kids throw soccer balls in your garden while you dine on the terrace – anger leaves no room for sweet words. Or the neighbors plant a five-foot-tall beech tree that deprives you of the sun. Difficult neighbors may blame you for three of your leaves falling in someone else’s garden and may ask you to take care of someone else’s garden as well.

In short, the essence of reality is that a home is not a $30 sweater that you can return within 30 days of being dissatisfied. A property worth more than a million francs that would require compromises once purchased to be habitable. Here are some tips for Raiffeisen in case of a dispute between the neighbors.

There are things that are difficult to predict when viewing property during the day. Imagine discovering that a church tower near your house keeps ringing from 7am, even on weekends, preventing you from sleeping. It’s hard to prepare if you haven’t stayed locally before you buy, but you can do some research.

Regular helicopter flights, which only take place in the winter, can surprise you once you get settled. “The Russians decided to fly by helicopter to Megève every weekend to ski,” explains a Geneva housing resident. “We went under the helicopters’ flight path. It’s been a frustrating drama in recent years, but that was before the war in Ukraine. It has calmed down since then.” It was difficult to change things here. It made it possible to learn only one winter stay before buying.

Finally, there are the environmental changes that occur without warning after purchase and turn your living conditions upside down. Like a right of way for the farmer, it turns into a right of way to build a series of buildings 100 meters away. Suddenly your little private road turns into a busy one. Even if you stayed on the site for a week before you bought it, you wouldn’t have foreseen it. Ultimately, this is the price the landlord pays: In case of inconvenience, mobility can be ignored, unlike tenants.

This text was originally published on Blick Romandie’s French website.

Source :Blick

Tim

I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.