Henry, a good inspector will be able to spot most foundation problems although they won't guarantee it. Most homes in Texas will have a 10 year foundation warranty. If the home doesn't have a sprinkler system, get one. The soils east of I-35 are expansive due to changes in ground moisture. A good sprinkler system will generally take care of the problem. The moisture has to be applied evenly around your home, so trying to water it yourself doesn't work very well.

Thanks

Walt

Teravista is a beautiful community and it is in the heart of some of the largest growth in the Round Rock area. Rumors of foundation problems have been heard out there but that is true as Emmanuel said of any home on highly expansive soil. Also home maintenance and upkeep can be a large part of foundation problems. Inadequate watering where you have watered to much on one side of the home and not enough on another can create more soil shift as well. Many homes that are built on highly expansive soils have what is called a floating foundation. Many builders will talk of this type of engineering. A good Realtor will be able to help you be more informed of which builders have used some of this more extensive engineering when building their homes. It is also important to know how they placed the frame on that floating foundation. These are all questions that any home buyer may want to ask a builder when there is rumored foundon trouble. Keep in mind though there are many factors that play into this type of trouble. Foundation problrms can occur anywhere really and many are repairable. It is something to think about and ask about but not a reason to rule out an entire area. When chooosir area you want to look at all the factors like convenience, schools, amenities, how well it has held value etc. Good luck with your relocation and purchase and if you have not yet found a Realtor to work with I would be happy and honored to help you. (512) 695-1634. Smccomb@kw.com

Henry:

If you are considering a home that has had foundation issues, you should obtain information on any repairs that have been completed. Many of the foundation repair companies offer limited warranties that are transferrable to a new buyer. We have a property in inventory now that has undergone repairs and has a lifetime warranty on the foundation work. Make sure you know all the details of any such home that you would consider purchasing and remember that you can use your option period to do all due diligence on this research AFTER you have the property under contract.

Hope this helps!
Steve

Henry,

I was great to have an expert weight in and I can just re-emphasize Emmanuel's comments. When you consider the number of homes that have foundation issues against the total number of homes, it is a minute percentage. Please don't let that scare you away.

This can also be in response to a previous question you posted regarding the number of re-sales in the area. Teravista has been around for several years and has been a popular neighborhood for employees of large companies. Many of the resales can probably be a result of these people being transferred or moving because their company experienced some downsizing because of the economy.

The market here has been a little strange lately. While we have experienced a slowdown we have not been affected as badly as many other areas of the country. Many home buyers have just been sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what the economy was going to do. They are now starting to make the decision to buy and the market is picking back up again.

Teravista is a great place to live along with many other areas of Round Rock.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Regards,
Mike & Starr Freeman
512-694-9769
Mike@FreemanCentury21.com

Hello Henry,

Foundation issues in Texas are always a possibility. Many areas have highly expansive soils which easily cause foundation movements. You can actually view the NRCS data from their Soils Mart WEB site to tell what types of soils are in a specific location. The WEB site is http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/.

There is no need to be hypersensitive regarding any home issues, whether new or existing homes. However, you should have any house inspected that you are planning to purchase. A licensed Texas Real Estate Inspector is required to inspect foundation issues, along with all other aspects of a home, and provide information regarding what was found. The Texas Real Estate Commission does maintain an Inspector locator function on their WEB site of http://www.trec.state.tx.us/inspector/inspector_search_by_ci…

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me and I will elp where I can.

Good luck on the home purchase!

Emmanuel J. Scanlan
PS Inspection & Property Services LLC http://www.psinspection.com
214-418-4366 (cell)
TREC License # 7593
International Code Council, Residential Combination Inspector #5247015-R5 (Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Building)
Certified Infrared Thermographer (ASNT-TC1A Standards)
Texas Residential Construction Commission, Third Party Warranty Inspector #1593
Texas Residential Construction Commission, Inspector, County Inspection Program
Texas Department Of Insurance, VIP Inspector # 08507061016
Hayman Residential Engineering Services, Field Technician
CMC Energy - Certified Energy Auditor

Knowledge is power, but sharing knowledge brings peace!!