I can help you negotiate the best price on the Salt Spring home you are interested in by checking the following: This is not a the home inspection this is what I will do before the the offer to purchase goes to the seller when you are serious about buying a specific Salt Spring home. To help you work out your budget push here for a mortgage calculator I can talk to all the neighbors before the offer to purchase: - I can find out about the sellers motivation to sell!!! their salt spring property.
- Are the sellers fishing for a high price or are they serious about selling their salt spring property.
- As your agent, I can tell you everything, I can find out about the sellers such as the real reason they want to sell. Read the limited dual agent agreements .
- The listing agent cannot tell you about the sellers motivation to sell (unless they have permission to reveal this information).
- As a buyer this is information might be valuable.
The following is a list of things to look at with experts in each area. The "Mike Holmes rule" check the building permits! I can get a letter from the sellers giving us the right to check the building permits. - Is the house build to the British Columbia building code standard? If you can see "not to code" work - what is there that you can't see?
- Were building permits drawn for all the work done. Electrical, propane, fireplaces and septic fields require their own permits.
- The Sewerage System regulations where totally changed 2006.
- Has there been any work done in the last 60 days? If so ask for paid receipts.
- Is the house built to the plan on file?
- Has the house passed all inspections?
- What about any outbuildings? For example anything over 108 sq ft needs a building permit.
Is there an old home inspection on the property that I can buy off the home inspector? Check out my 11 page list of old home inspections here; http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1059051&da=y Who was the Salt Spring architect or designer of the Salt Spring property? - Do they have the home plans on file?
- What are their thoughts on possible renos additions?
- Was a structural engineer consulted.
Who built the Salt Spring home? - If the house is less than 25 years old this is usually easy to find out.
- What is the builder's reputation?
- Is there a warranty on the house.
- Are they still building homes on the island?
- Can you meet with the Salt Spring builder and have them walk you through the home they built?
- Is this the only house they have built on the island?
Check for a special BC problem which is moisture in the house - wood eating "Powder Post Beetles"?
- Check for mold & mildew.
- Check for wood rot.
Ask for a survey. 
- In British Columbia you do not get a real property report from the seller. In BC you can buy title insurance .
- Check out the property lines and the set backs of your potential property.
- Is there any geotechnical issues?
Always check the zoning of the property and the surrounding properties - Detailed Zoning maps of the island
- Does the property have a Conservation Covenant on it; (NATEP) Natural Area Tax Exemption Program.
- Is it in a DPA (Development Permit Area)
- Check to see if it in a water catchment area.
- Is it conforming to zoning or is it non-conforming
- Never, ever assume zoning can be changed on Salt Spring!
If the property is on the waterfront: - Does the property have sensitive shoreline status?
- If it's low bank, is the beach leased out to a clam operation?
- In Canada, you do not own the beach. Rather, the property ends at the high water mark.
- Is it a summertime party beach or tranquil all year round.
Lots of Salt Spring houses have septic systems. 
- Does the septic system work properly (or at all)
- Has the tank been pumped out in the last 5 years.
- If the house has been enlarged, has the septic system been upgraded as well? Do they call bedrooms offices or dens. Septic system are sized by number of bedrooms.
- Can you see or smell surface effluent?
- Is it a gravity or pump system? How old is the pump?
Is the Salt Spring property serviced by a well?
- If so, has the water been tested recently?
- Is the water sanitized? If so, with what?
- Is it a shallow well or deep well?
- Is there a storage system?
- Does the well produce water in the dry summer months?
- How many wells are in the area?
- Is there a water license?
- How close is the septic field? Is it up hill or down hill from the well.
- What about the neighbor's septic field? How close is it?
- Is there Arsenic in the water? Yes you read that right Arsenic poison on Salt Spring!!!
- here is a great link about the little known Salt Spring Arsenic secret
Vermiculite Insulation
- Vermiculite ore produced by the Libby Mine in Montana from the 1920's to 1990 was sold as Zonolite® Attic Insulation and WILL contain amphibole asbestos.
- If the house has Vermiculite Insulation it "has to" be tested.
- I, Scott Simmons, could not sleep at night knowing your house was not tested.
- It will cost $15,000-$20,000 to remove if it's in the house.
- Not all vermiculite has asbestos (I was told by the testing company 99% of test are positive)
Check for buried oil tanks. How does any possible future development or possible right of ways affect this lot or house: - What does the Official Community Plan Bylaw #345 (OCP) say about the area?
- What could happen in the future in this neighborhood?
- Check the Land Use Bylaw #355 and see what pertains to this property
- An example; the upgraded High Voltage power lines .
If it is a view property do you "own the view"? - If not, who does?
- Will they allow you to trim the trees?
- Can you buy a restrictive covenant on their property?
What is the up side? What are they missing? Is there a hidden value that the owners don't see? Don't buy a house on Salt Spring Island without benefiting from my Salt Spring specific Real Estate knowledge. As a realtor I'm working for you and want to make sure you buy the right salt spring home not the wrong house. Scott Simmons |