What do I need to know about closing on a house?

kate blank — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:27:40 -0800

What do we need to know about closing on a house? We're in Canada. So, we're closing on our first house on August 8 (yes, it's 08/08/08). We've never done this before, so I wonder what we need to know/do. I read this thread about what can go wrong, and it was helpful, but I also wonder what else do I need to do? We have a mortgage, we have a down-payment, we have home insurance, we have money for our closing costs (but how much will they be, exactly? And who tells us that, and when?) and we have a lawyer to do a title search.

What I would really love is a website that says THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO so I can do everything on the list. Google wasn't all that helpful in finding one (particularly for Canada, and I would, of course, like a Canada-specific list as I am sure some thing vary between here and the US and the UK).

Two prong outlet to a three prong outlet: illegal?

Plinko — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:48:39 -0800

Is it a NEC violation to simply change a non-grounded, two-prong electrical outlet with a three-prong outlet? Is it bad enough to use as leverage in price negotiation of a house? I'm currently in the negotiation stage of buying a house, and closing is actually tomorrow. It seems like every step of the way I discover a way that the seller has cut corners. The house in question was listed as "completely renovated" with no mention of the fact that nothing in the house is grounded. Even so, they changed every two-prong outlet with a three-prong outlet and apparently hoped that no one wouldn't notice. Even their shady electrician said it was no big deal (as long as I used a "power strip" -- yeah okay, sure).

But I noticed. And I looked up our county building code & the National Electric Code. And then I checked a few more sources. Everything I read says that this is a code violation and a safety hazard.

Today at 4pm, we're meeting with the seller, my Realtor, and a neutral electrician at the house. We plan on having him reinspect the situation and explain to the Seller what they've done is a code violation. Then I plan on asking them to give me an additional 3000 US at closing to compensate this (among other things).

Is what they've done truly a violation? Is this worth contacting Consumer Affairs? Suable? [Not that I would, but it could be a bargaining tool.] Any other ammunition that the AskMeFi collective can offer?

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What do I need to know about closing on a house?

Two prong outlet to a three prong outlet: illegal?