Housing and You…What to look for when buying a home

Jul 13, 2014 News

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By Leonard Gildarie

Because of some very personal dealings this past week which have had a profound effect on me, we will be examining two very important issues.
I was in Berbice at Black Bush Polder last Sunday where I was caught in that freak storm. That farming community is an unbelievable place. It is located seven miles in from the Corentyne public road with its rolling fields of rice, squash, boulangers and sweet pepper. It is a sight to behold.
The storm, which also did severe damage in the nearby Nickerie, Suriname, threw down several power poles, collapsed a number of homes and left some of them without roofs.
Within a few hours, many of the residents were conducting repairs. The looks of resignation were all too clear on the faces.
I like Black Bush. Year after year, though, it is bound to be affected by either drought or flooding. I left Black Bush on Monday after staying overnight. Yesterday, Yakusari, one of the communities, remained flooded with just a few hours of rains. It is a way of life. The point is, people adapt to the environment in which they live.
While up there, I was impressed by one little lady. She is 80. Her husband died leaving the then 35-year-old woman with 11 children to feed. Her children have long moved on but she remained. Her little house was spotless, with a garden behind filled with peppers and bora in neat rows.
She is receiving old age pension to the tune of just over $10,000 monthly. It is tough going except for help from the children. But there are many who are not fortunate to have a garden or even their home.
About two weeks ago, I spoke about the need for Government to examine some sort of housing programme that will allow for seniors to have a home. It is a fact that Guyana is changing rapidly. Thirty years back, it was unthinkable for family members to place a loved one in a home. Today, there are quite a number of them.
I received quite a few calls from that last article and one man asked that we raise the issue with our President, and I intend to do that. How about Government-built homes that can use the pensions to help maintain them? I have called for one each in three counties. We have to find innovative measures to deal with some of the social issues facing this country.
Like I said before, it is an area that needs urgent exploring. We can no longer take for granted the plight of our seniors as a matter of course. Rather, like the issue of pensions, it should be included in the raft of measures that Guyana has in its arsenal to deal with some of the very real challenges that confront us. So yes, I will be asking President Donald Ramotar and even our MPs to examine some solutions.
Which brings us to another issue. Many persons when buying a property are more attracted to the property and its paint, above all else. These are all cosmetic. They can be fixed. I have done a little research and have come up with a few tips on what to look for when buying a property. Of course, this advice has been adjusted to fit the local scenario.
For me, the top one would be affordability? Do I have the money? If I take a mortgage, how much would be the monthly payments? It makes no sense to look at a $30M home when you can only afford $15M. Secondly, even if you can afford one, leave some money aside so that you can do some renovations. Renovations are always needed. Now these are ideal situations. I know for a fact that many Guyanese just do not have enough left over. The little cash they have scraped can barely do to make the down-payment for a mortgage.
Another thing to look for is location. You would not want to buy a property in Parika, even if the price is right, if your job is in the city. The transportation costs will be a major no-no. Is the property located next to schools, shops, police station, health centres or churches? These are all important issues as they have implications on your budget.
One growing concern for Guyanese is the seeming high crime rate. There will be arguments whether Guyana indeed has a problem that is worse than other countries.
However, it may be a good idea to find out the security situation in a particular area. Is there a high incidence of robbery? Who are the neighbours?
For me, a top item on the checklist would also be the infrastructure in place. Is the drainage okay? Is there likely to be flooding? What about streetlights?
At the actual home, the biggest ask for me would be the space. Is it enough? Are there enough rooms? Can I do any expansion? Is the foundation of the home in good shape?
I would also want to be examining the shape of the roof, doors, toilet and flooring. When it rains what happens? Is there enough room for a vehicle? What about a little shop or business? Is there anything that stops me from throwing up a business?
Two important issues for me also are the actual neighbourhood and the way the breeze blows. It is important, as nobody wants a neighbour that plays music at all ungodly hours or are troublemakers.
Now, many persons build homes without taking into consideration the coolness of the home. Why would you want to be in a home that is hot all day and night long?
So yes, there will be other things to look for, other than the style of the home and how beautiful it looks.
The long holidays for the kids have started. I hope that it is enjoyable for all.
Enjoy the weekend and don’t forget to drop those comments to gildarie@yahoo.com or call 6821256.
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