Finally found a place I want to buy - opinions? (house, buyer)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by newgirlpgh

Ugh, after all this time I think it might not happen after all : (
I am so disappointed.

The property has an Easement Agreement and my lawyer and strongly advising me not to purchase.
Are Easement Agreements common in Pittsburgh?

There are all kinds of easements in Pittsburgh. A deceased friend of mine had one for a railroad that went through his property. There is an easement through the property adjacent to mine here in L'ville allowing my property access to the main street, instead of just the alley which it is located on.

[Hopes]

My girlfriend's Regent Square house has an easement because three feet of one corner of her house is on the neighbor's property. The house is over 150 years old. Either it was built accidently on the neighbor's property or the property lines were defined after the house was built. It's not a big deal. It's not like they will be forced to tear down their house because of this.

[Hopes]

It seems the OP's property might have a shared driveway easement based on google satellite images. Or maybe the OP's driveway is only the neighbor's property. Or maybe the neighbors have right to access the backyard via the driveway if machinery needs to be taken in. I think it's super common for easements to exist when houses are so close together.

1212 Love Street Squirrel Hill, PA 15218 - Google Maps

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by Hopes

It seems the OP's property might have a shared driveway easement based on google satellite images. Or maybe the OP's driveway is only the neighbor's property. Or maybe the neighbors have right to access the backyard via the driveway if machinery needs to be taken in. I think it's super common for easements to exist when houses are so close together.

1212 Love Street Squirrel Hill, PA 15218 - Google Maps

We have an easement so our neighbor can drive his show cars off his property twice a year. We are on 2 acres and he on 3. Makes no sense but they are great folks so we don't mind. Our previous residence had an easement for underground utilities. If we had put up a fence on it/over it we could but if work needed to be done on the utilities the fence would have been subject to tear down. It never was an issue though.

[Moby Hick]

I think maybe a lawyer wouldn't be put off by those sorts of easements and wonder what it actually says. Because I'm nosy and mostly useless at giving advice.

[newgirlpgh]

Originally Posted by Moby Hick

I think maybe a lawyer wouldn't be put off by those sorts of easements and wonder what it actually says. Because I'm nosy and mostly useless at giving advice.

The easement gives the neighbor the rights to 10 feet into the property down the entire length of the lot (100 ft).
They have the rights to the entire driveway. cannot park on it whatsoever. but would still have to make sure the driveway was free of debris (stones, sticks, etc.) and am liable if the neighbor would slip and fall or something.
Since the easement includes the yard in addition to the driveway they can also store whatever they want on that area (bikes, lawn mower, whatever you can think of).
basically paying taxes for property i can never use.

the agreement was signed to include all successors, so no way to void unless the neighbor would agree to it or die.
and i don't know why they would agree to give up land that they get to use for free.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by newgirlpgh

The easement gives the neighbor the rights to 10 feet into the property down the entire length of the lot (100 ft).
They have the rights to the entire driveway. cannot park on it whatsoever. but would still have to make sure the driveway was free of debris (stones, sticks, etc.) and am liable if the neighbor would slip and fall or something.
Since the easement includes the yard in addition to the driveway they can also store whatever they want on that area (bikes, lawn mower, whatever you can think of).
basically paying taxes for property i can never use.

the agreement was signed to include all successors, so no way to void unless the neighbor would agree to it or die.
and i don't know why they would agree to give up land that they get to use for free.

Are they currently using the land? It would at least be worth asking them if they'd give up the easement, or maybe modify it to only includ the driveway. It's only 10 feet in, isn't almost all of that driveway? Maybe you could just widen the driveway a little bit so that they merely have access to the driveway but not the yard. Or does the driveway not run the entire length of the property?

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by newgirlpgh

They have the rights to the entire driveway. cannot park on it whatsoever. but would still have to make sure the driveway was free of debris (stones, sticks, etc.) and am liable if the neighbor would slip and fall or something.
Since the easement includes the yard in addition to the driveway they can also store whatever they want on that area (bikes, lawn mower, whatever you can think of).
basically paying taxes for property i can never use.

You can't park on the driveway at all but they can? If that's right, I wouldn't take that either.

[youngabe]

Originally Posted by newgirlpgh

The easement gives the neighbor the rights to 10 feet into the property down the entire length of the lot (100 ft).
They have the rights to the entire driveway. cannot park on it whatsoever. but would still have to make sure the driveway was free of debris (stones, sticks, etc.) and am liable if the neighbor would slip and fall or something.
Since the easement includes the yard in addition to the driveway they can also store whatever they want on that area (bikes, lawn mower, whatever you can think of).
basically paying taxes for property i can never use.

the agreement was signed to include all successors, so no way to void unless the neighbor would agree to it or die.
and i don't know why they would agree to give up land that they get to use for free.

Sounds messy for sure, but I'd at least ask the neighbor like others said. That way, you could also get a feel for what your future neighbor would be like. Nice person or a whack-o that you wouldn't want to live next to anyway.

Don't give up. It's frustrating though, I agree 100%. I just bought my house in Crafton Heights. I put offers in on three other properties that I "loved" prior to this one working out. Now, I can safely say, I am SO glad the others did not work out. There will always be something to find, that I'm sure of. Best of luck!

[jay5835]

Keep looking.