Before Purchasing a Home - Philly Suburbs

[smt1111]

Certain neighborhoods are more prone to flooding during storms as there are local creeks that flood. There are areas where big trees tend to come down in storms which contributes to power outages. Many areas have narrow, winding and hilly roads which can get closed because of flooding or downed trees. You have to drive around and see what you might be dealing with. This is not an area that has solely wide flat straight roads. Some areas do, but not all. I'm visualizing an area where I used to live that basically had only 2 ways into and out of the town. Both ways had narrow winding roads that went down a huge hill. I remember one particular nasty storm when the flood waters were barreling down the hilly road like a waterfall and cars were stuck in one long line trying to get up the hill. It was a mess. In the winter, the hills are treacherous and people driving small cars without AWD can't get up the hills and block all the traffic behind them. I had to ditch my car at the bottom of the hill once and walk 6 miles home in a blizzard because I couldn't get my car through a narrow underpass and up a big hill.

I remember one freak summer storm when a certain area flooded out and it closed off all of the roads in the vicinity for hours. I got out of work around 8 pm and remember I couldn't get home. All of the roads that went to my town were closed off. I had to wait it out in a restaurant for hours until finally one of the roads opened up enough for me to drive home by a roundabout way.

If you google houses for sale in a certain area and browse through the houses in your price range, I think you should see the approximate property tax listed there.

[TLC1957]

For flooding check the FEMA flood zone map below for the address and surrounding area. Many real estate websites have flood information. Definitely check a block or two can make a big difference in a flood zone or not.

https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home

We moved to the Philadelphia area in 2015, both daughters purchased moves in the last year in Philly area and south NJ, my 2 cents…

Heating and hot water heater go with natural gas, not oil or all electric. Oil is expensive plus the tank can leak if underground big $$ if it does. Hot air you can added AC if not already installed. You will need heat October to early May so it does add up. AC not so much July/August at most. We have not turned on the AC this season.

Sewer public not a septic tank, had a septic tank for 28 years. Life span 20-40 years depending on how it was maintained, should be pumped every 2-3 years. New system about $60K. In my old neighborhood some lasted 20 years, some more, so get septic pumping records.

Good luck both of my daughters placed bids on several homes before they got a home. Both had 25% down but were often lost to all cash deals. They had to waive all inspections even to bid on a home. Crazy market for sure. Where I live, West Chester, homes are sold in a day or so, yea that crazy.

Good luck in the hunt.

[TLC1957]

I forgot to add in some places water and sewer are on top of real estate taxes. So ask about past water and sewer bills. $$ It depends on the number of folks in the home. The bill is higher in the summer ie watering the lawn, garden etc. Ours average , with 2 people and 1 bath $75-150 a month.

Also ask about trash services, some are included in the tax bill some are not.

Welcome to home ownership in Pa.

[Maddie104]

Originally Posted by SoFlaMom

We are getting ready to start house hunting. Looking in various neighborhoods north-ish of Philly: Plymouth Meeting, East Norriton, Ambler, Willow Grove, Glenside, etc...

It's easy to say how many bedrooms, baths, and square footage we want, but what incidentals should we be looking out for? We're coming from out of state so things like taxes and utilities will be very different.

What type of heating and cooling is best?
What type of sewage or septic is best?
Are there neighborhoods that lose power more frequently than others?
How can I research what local taxes will be in a given neighborhood?
Which cable companies are best, or are people finding it cheaper to just buy streaming services?
We've been with T-mobile for over 20 years, is it safe to assume that we can keep them since cellular companies are national?

Anything else that someone from out of state might not think to ask a real estate agent or might not think to look into before making an offer on a house?

Thank you in advance!

Be sure to inquirer about the "earned income tax" assessed at the township level as the amount can vary. Also the cost for sewer. I have public sewer and get billed twice a year. It is important to know the township of the home. Most townships have websites that provide this information and more.

[LookingforFireflies]

I'm taking lots of notes. This is all VERY helpful! And thank you to the well-wishers - we are definitely excited about the move. A little nervous at how hard it is to get a bid accepted, but we're keeping the faith.