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If I were serious about a property near a former site of a gas station or dry cleaners who does on-site dry cleaning, I'd find out if the underground storage tanks had been removed and also have the soil tested at the property. I know you can buy soil quality test kits online for about $30, but I don't know if they test for environmental hazards or just nutrients. I bet you could phone your state university and ask about testing. Since you are considering a house behind an inactive gas station, its not your issue, but I wouldn't buy a property behind an active gas station because the dangers of vapor contamination in my daily life....we are all exposed to that, but living near an active gas station increases exposure tremendously.
Some cities require that the tanks be filled with sand. Check with your city and see what the situation is. If they have been filled leakage should not be a problem
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Harmful or not, you will have a difficult time re-selling it. Even if it's cleaned up and demolished, something even less desirable could go up, like a 7-11
that has a lot of traffic, noise and litter day and night. I'd avoid any house next to a commercial space.
Thanks everyone for your answers. I'll check with the town to see what information they have. I am somewhat concerned about it being demolished and something worse being put in it's place.
Some cities require that the tanks be filled with sand. Check with your city and see what the situation is. If they have been filled leakage should not be a problem
No current leakage is fine but you can't know about past leakage without testing the soil.
I asked around and someone told me they believe the tanks were actually removed several years ago. Would this eliminate any issues for the FHA appraisal? Will the FHA appraiser require a soil test?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,206,701 times
Reputation: 57821
Most vacant gas stations around here have remained intact for years despite the tank removal. No one wants to buy the property because of the huge cost of testing, removal, and disposal of contaminated soil. I would think the lender is not concerned about the hazard as much as the effect on the property value, and whether it will appraise for what you are offering.
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