I'd Be Leary To Buy Into New Development

The Home News
Lack Of Sewer Agreement Between Allen, Northampton Leaves Residents Without Homes"Without an agreement, developers cannot hook up homes to the sewer system. With no hook up, residents are not allowed to move into their new homes."

Way back when we were looking for a home I never considered a brand new one. Within five years of one our relatives moving in the foundation developed a crack allowing underground water to seep in. They had to install a permanent sump pump to remove the water, A coworker had to redo his entire septic lines because of faulty piping installed by the contractor. About a year after that (because other homes were later drilling their wells) he had to have his dug another 100 feet. Still one other person I knew had his neighborhood begin experiencing sink holes due to the way the rocky earth below was bulldozed over. I've also read about how incorrectly installed stucco began molding beneath. Another where backyard flooding problems began after other homes were built upgrade from them.

Oh you renters aren't out of the woods either. For a couple years I was the maintenance guy for several complexes around here. Here's a few problems some of these buildings had. The wiring was aluminum connected to copper wirings for appliances. In short they don't play well together. Decks were built over entrances. Problem is the decks were slatted. Not water proof. Central air conditioners were installed in living room closets to the outside making it a extremely draftee in the winter. Water would flow into crawl spaces beneath the first floor making it musty smelling. The main breakers were installed outside causing the springs in them to unnecessarily trip in the cold winter months. Intake and outtake duct work for the heating was installed ceiling height instead of floor level. Hall outlets and some outside lighting was connected to individual apartments rather then to the "house meter". There were several other problems I'd rather not be too specific about lest some one might figure out which complex they were. Suffice it to say several were built similarly.

Needless to say I suspect some of these older downtown conversions may not be entirely separate from each other when it comes to wiring and hot water plumbing.

So the point is..
(1) If your buying a home it's always wise to invest in a home inspector. (2) Whether your renting or buying try a get to know your future neighbors and what they have to say. Above all else don't rush into things without doing some homework first.