The Haunted House

With Halloween fast approaching, most neighborhoods are a buzz of zombies, witches, superheros, and foxes?! As my husband and I took a short getaway in Kennebunkport, Maine I admired the homes that were decorated for the holiday and wondered with such old homes, if any were haunted?

The popular TV show American Horror Story's first season titled "Murder House" featured a Realtor attempting to sell a home that was overly haunted. And a recent episode of Long Island Medium featured a family worried about a ghost of a young child who died in the home. Buyers have a right to be concerned about all potential problems with a property, ghosts and murder history included! However, in the State of Maine, a seller is only obligated to disclose "material facts". This means things pertaining to the property's structure and land that is a known fact affecting the property, i.e. cracked foundation, leak in the roof, buried storage tank, etc. However, if a buyer is represented by a Realtor, and the Realtor is made aware of a murder or haunting, the buyer's agent should inform him of the additional knowledge regarding the property.

So, is it possible you could buy a home and not know whether the property is haunted? Yes. Could the seller know of the loss of life in a property and not disclose? Yes. If this concerns you, do your research, ask neighbors, google the address, and maybe hire a paranormal investigator. And if you are the seller worried about being "haunted" by not disclosing information you have on the property, disclose, disclose, disclose!

Safe trick or treating to all and enjoy the holiday!

Taking the Keys!

So you've finally made it through the contract process and you're about to sign over your first born (kidding!)
What are your final steps?

Start calling!  You'll need to get ahold of your power company to give them your contact information and to start your account for the day after closing. Public utilities? You'll need to call them as well to get your account set-up - otherwise you could be without water in your new home! Planning to have cable? You should call them as soon as possible to get installation scheduled.

If you've arranged for fuel to be pro-rated, you'll need to figure out how much you need to pay the former homeowner for the remaining fuel in the tank. Your agent should be able to help you determine this amount, but you can always call the company that last serviced it to get an estimate.

After you've done all that, just stretch out those fingers and sign away - you'll be unpacking and settling in to your home in no time!

Final Walk-Through

One of the last steps before closing is the final walk-through. Sellers need to make sure all personal items are no longer at the property and everything is generally in the same condition it was in when the buyers made their offer. The contract states:

"Said premises shall then be broom clean, free of all possessions and debris, and in substantially the same condition as at present, expecting reasonable use and wear."

While it is always a bonus for a buyer to find a house more than broom swept and free or previous home owner dirt, it is not explicitly agreed upon in the contract. If you're a buyer with a fear of germs, consider hiring a cleaner for the day after closing! However, all items (unless agreed upon in the contract or throughout the transaction) must be removed so at the closing table keys can be transferred and the new homeowners can begin the moving process right away.

Megan has completed many many walk-throughs in her career and she's seen it all from immaculate homes to ones with lots of "treasures" still remaining. As a buyer, never skip the walk-through, even if the home was already vacant - faucets could have begun leaking, vandalism could have occurred, or perhaps the roof fell in! All extreme scenarios aside, as a seller and as a buyer, this last step should be a pleasant one that leads to a smooth closing!