Check Flood Zones - Ensure you are informed about the flooding rating of your future home. Every real estate agent is required to provide this information when asked. You may need to ask for it more than once. Although it is required information, some agents intentionally withhold sharing it. Some areas of The Rio Grande Valley have drainage system that leaves a lot to be desired. The area is flat and the poor drainage system sometimes fails to drain water adequately. It is also well known many levees along the Rio Grande River are old and would not function adequately when required to. This aspect should be examined closely if you are purchasing property at South Padre Island or anywhere near the ocean. Do not get caught in another Katrina disaster! All home owners are encouraged to purchase flood insurance. Remember, flood insurance is not covered by basic home owners insurance. It must be purchased separately.
Was the house built on original farm land? The Rio Grande Valley is expanding at an incredible rate. In the 1990s the McAllen – Mission – Edinburg area was the fastest growing area in the nation. Just recently, I read an article in The Monitor stating the McAllen area was leading the nation in job growth. Many new developments are being built on old farm lands. This can cause a battle with insects and wild animals for the first few years. Depending on how you feel about insects this may be a concern.
Check the building material being used. Many contractors will try to lower construction costs by buying materials from Mexico. This can be a disadvantage or an advantage. Some materials from Mexico do not have any warranty and replacement costs may be too high. Some materials are just sub standard and may later prove to be very poor quality.
Check the energy efficiency of the home. Request electric bills from the former owners from the prior summer. Have a professional check your door and window insulation. If your doors and windows are poorly insulated you can spend a fortune on electricity. Seek professional advice regarding the size of your home and the air conditioning unit installed. You may need it changed or zoned. Some homes built by OBRA homes have units that are too small for the size of the home. Since the air conditioning unit is too small, it will have to be continuously running to adequately cool down the house. If given the option, choose the Magic Valley Electric Cooperative Company for your electric provider. According to Power to Choose.org, CPL, another electric provider, charged $0.1690/kWh compared to $0.097077 from Magic Valley.
Zoning - Find out from the city about the future development plans of the location where you intend to buy a home. You do not want to buy an incredible home only to have other builders make the neighborhood less valuable by putting up structures that undervalue the location. Most developments have a minimum price value set for the homes built. Some developments could have multiple builders with multiple ideas of what market they intend to service.
Annexing. It’s very easy to live outside the city limits. A nearby city could annex your land and you may end up paying higher taxes. This is usually an unexpected expense.
Check references in detail. There are a number of construction companies in the area. Look for a company with a great reputation that has numerous references. Many construction companies have declared bankruptcy after building sub standard homes. In the Rio Grande Valley, there are no inspections performed on homes to ensure that the building is up to code! When issues arise after the builder has completed the building of the house, the builder may never return to make the necessary renovations.
Check out the school system that your children may attend. Not all schools are created equally. The Science Academy in Mercedes has ranted in the top 100 schools in the nation consistently.
Location of your home in relation to your place of work matters. Since there is major construction on most highways, ensure that you have ample time to travel back and forth from work.
Internet - Some remote locations still have no access to basic necessities like the Internet. Make sure that you have access to DSL at least.
Foreclosures are on the rise. Make sure you ask your real estate agent to look into some of those if your budget is limited. They may be a good resource for you to get into a bigger home without stretching you mortgage.
For Sale by Owner - There are Rio Grande Valley residents selling their homes without a real estate agent. Most of these residents are trying to move elsewhere or are trying to avoid a foreclosure and might be willing to sell their home less that what it is worth. Make the time to scout out the area you are interested in living in and you may be lucky!
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