Dale,

I have a buyers view after recently purchasing a house in DFW. My wife and I looked for over a year at homes ranging from early 1920's to four or five years old. After living in Lakewood for the last year, we recently settled in Lake Highlands. As people have discussed, the soils in Texas make it condusive to foundation repairs. After moving from another state, it has almost become somewhat typical forus to experience foundation problems (disclosed or otherwise) with North Texas homes.

We just purchased a 1978 home and found through our inspection that it needed 10 piers on the East side of the house. While tentative at first, we worked with the sellers agent to get a lifetime foundation warranty. The foundation warranty (much like a Home Owners Warranty) made us feel comfortable enough to purchase. Knowing that many homes will experience this in their lifetime in the Dallas area, it almost made us feel more comfortable having had the repairs.

Ask for the repairs to be completed by a reputable company with the proper warranty. Most sellers and buyers will feel much more comfortable knowing this was mitigated. There are so many things a person needs to review prior to purchasing a home, this can be managed with proper inspection, structural review, and some touch up.

My 2 cents, but I am lucky enough to have a Realtor as a wife!

Regards,

MB

Many older homes all throughout dfw have had foundation issues. To find one that's been repaired is a plus! You're looking for a warranty that will transfer to your name upon purchase, preferrably by a reputable company. In most cases I've seen if a future issue arises the readjustment or replacement of piers is covered but labor costs are still charged. Ask the company for the details of their warranty so you know what to expect. As far as the repairs affecting dollar amount it's on the plus side by far compared to a house that's in need of the repairs. Look me up, I'm the servant. best of luck

I recommend you consult a local structural engineer who can recommend what repairs are neccessary. With a recommendatin in hand you can get quotes from licensed, local contractors.

I've had many clients ask this question and while it's very circumstancial and variable depending on the home, this is my typical answer. In our area Texas, we have clay (expansive)soil, and any home has the ability to move, shift, settle or other wise become out of level. They keyword is ALL homes have the potential for foundation problems and it depends on the drainage and owner attentiveness to keep an even level of moisture around the house and yard.

Final answer, in my book, is that a home that has been repaired is now typically more stable than the home that hasn't been repaired. They key to staving off and/or maintaining the foundation, is proper maintenance and watering by the homeowner. Would I as a Realtor buy a home that has had foundation repair? Most definitely, if it is now stable and the floors walk level, sure.

You can also look at it this way, would a home that has had a Termite treatment be worth any less? Not at all. In Texas, a home has either had them or it will have them. The point is in how it's dealt with, the same holds true with foundation correction. You can also base your opinion on how home appraisers view things, and last I checked those items, as long as corrected, make to difference in value. Although, there is always a court of public opinion which seems to speak louder than any logic.

When DC-10s were falling out of the sky, nobody wanted to fly on them. Once they were all inspected and corrective action taken, would you rather fly on an uninspected plane of one of those DC-10s?

This is the problem with disclosed foundation repairs. A buyer becomes skittish about the property, but what about the houses that have no disclosed repairs to the foundation - are they less risky or more?

As a buyer, your concern should be focused on the long term effect of foundation problems (as well as all the other factors that affect resale or cost of ownership). Bruce brings up a couple of good factors to consider: is there a warranty that transfers to you (and on to others later) and have all the effects of the previous problem been corrected, like cosmetics?

If filling of cracks and painting have not been properly completed, then the cost of these repairs should be factored into your offer. Any other repairs related to the foundation shift should similarly be given a value and factored into your offer.

Not all warranties are created equal, either. Some have "adjustment" charges if they come out to fix problems down the road. Some are backed by the company, but we have seen companies go out of the business. Those people no longer have a warranty effectively. I am not allowed to interpret an engineer's report although you should read it, but I can read and understand a warranty. So, ask for these two items.

Armed with these facts, how well the warranty protects you (and whether the engineer has checked that the corrective actions were taken), and what cosmetics remain to be done, you can decide for yourself what effect the issues have on an offer to purchase. It could be zero. It could be thousands off.

This question extremely too general to answer. There are many questions that need to be answered before anyone can answer. I would also like to say, do not be mislead. Not "all houses in Texas have foundation issues". Texas does have very expansive soils in many areas but - never say never and never say all...

I would be glad to speak with you or anyone else about issues like these, my business is not in Texas but I have alot of experience in the state of Texas. Contact me at http://www.myfoundationrepairs.com and we can speak freely about any issues and getting a ballpark cost for foundation repair.

There are several variables to the answer. How well were the repairs done? Are there still cracks in the sheet rock? How well did they repair the cracks in the bricks, meaning how visable are they? Foundation problems scare buyers, even when they are expertly repaired. Yes, you are going to take a financial hit for foundation issues. If all the cosmetic work has been done and done well, it will be less of a hit. I would say it will cost you in price reduction from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the price of the house. The more the homes value, the bigger the hit you can expect. Do the cosmetic work, it will be worth it.

None if it has been fixed well with a lifetime warranty... All houses in Texas have foundation issues.

I think that always puts a hicky on the property. The reason for this is that in my opinion if it has had problems, it's likely to continue to have problems over time....If it has a transferable warranty, an engineers report, and still in good shape I personally might take off 1-2%. If it is missing any of these things, than you might take off more. Of course this can depend on the extent of repairs and if you think they were needed or not. I've seen homes with repair that I did not think was needed. I've seen homes with 3 piers and I've seen homes with 30-40 piers. It might also depend on if the underlying problem was resolved. You can make repairs, but if you don't or can't solve the problem that created the condition, then you might want a bigger discount. If you need help with the offer or deciding what is appropriate feel free to contact me at 214-675-6692, I live in the city next door.