What to pay attention to buy a house from old housing stock?

What to pay attention to buy a house from old housing stock?

Many apartments presented on the secondary market of St. Petersburg are located in the houses of the old foundation. The condition of such buildings can be deplorable or almost flawless.What should I pay attention to when buying a house in a house with a history?

Apartments in atypical houses of pre-revolutionary construction arouse constant consumer interest. Why do they love the houses of the old foundation? First of all, for spacious apartments with high ceilings and a special aura of historical districts.

Frequently apartments in the old fund at the price of a "square" are comparable to standard panels. But do not rush to rejoice - prices below the market usually indicate that the apartment needs serious modernization.

Residents of St. Petersburg and other regions put different meanings into the definition of "old fund", Other regions residents often associate it with any housing of the Soviet period - for example, with the same "Khrushchevkas".

In catalogs with ads, houses of the old foundation are divided into two categories - those that have undergone renovation and those that have not. Houses without renovation  may have wooden or metal floor beams. Of course, metal ones are considered more reliable and durable. However, in the Northern capital there are perfectly preserved houses with wooden beams, and emergency facilities with metal ones.

In the practice of the St. Petersburg apartment market, buildings built before 1917 are classified as "old stock". It is important to add that some types of buildings traditionally classified as Stalinist - for example, almost all pre-war houses or some so-called German cottages - are structurally similar to the old foundation.

IMPORTANT

If the walls of the building are not made of brick, but of slag or expanded clay blocks, and the floors are with wooden beams, it is highly desirable to invite an experienced specialist to assess the technical condition of the apartment.

NOT ALL RENOVATIONS ARE ALIKE

Major repairs can be different - complex and selective. At the complex, which were mass

-produced in Leningrad in the 1970s and 80s, only the outer walls remained of the building, and the entire filling was completely changed. All buildings that have undergone a comprehensive overhaul have reinforced concrete slabs. Such apartments in the secondary housing market are quoted much higher than in houses without major repairs.

The disadvantages are that during complex repairs, the building lost much of what such apartments, in fact, are appreciated by buyers: fireplaces, stucco decor, massive doors with copper handles and other accessories.

During selective repairs, rotten power structures were replaced and strengthened in apartments, baths were installed and alterations were made. Such repairs have been carried out at all times - both after the war and in our century.

IMPORTANT

You can find out that there was a selective overhaul in the house without replacing the floors only from the technical passport. But in ads for the sale of apartments, such houses are almost always recorded in the new category - be careful.

The main document that we must demand from the seller, if we are talking about an object of the old fund, is the Project & Inventory Bureau technical passport of a residential premises (apartment). It contains information not only about the apartment, but also about the building itself: the year of construction, the date of the last overhaul, the material walls and ceilings. Practice shows that these data are not always accurate.

Even with information about the year of construction, nothing is easy: the fact is that over the centuries the St. Petersburg housing fund has been rebuilt many times. For example, at the beginning of the XIX century, the building had three floors. And at the end of the century it was built up to five floors, courtyard buildings and courtyards-wells appeared. As a result, any date can appear as the year of construction of the house.

For exactly the same reason, wooden floor beams can be installed in apartments on the lower floors, and metal ones on the upper ones (the widespread use of building metal structures began in the last quarter of the XIX century).

One of the main problems of the apartments of the old foundation is that there are many illegal alterations in them. There are often modernizations that can no longer be legalized.

It is easy to find out whether the changes made are legal, for this it is enough to look at the already mentioned passport of the building.

What threatens the buyer with illegal redevelopment? Difficulties may arise in two cases: when trying to sell such an apartment to a buyer with mortgage funds (the bank simply will not accept the application for consideration) and when examining the apartment due to complaints from third parties.

The technical condition of the apartment is best assessed with specialists who are planned to participate on repair work, or with professionals who have experience and education in the operation of houses. But this is no longer on the initial viewing, but in the event that you really liked the apartment.

Information about what types of work on the overhaul of the common property of apartment buildings (facades, roofs, elevators, etc.) for a particular house are planned for the coming years, you can get on the official website of the Housing Committee of the Administration of St. Petersburg.

Is it possible to apply for a loan to buy an apartment in the old fund? The old fund as an object of collateral is considered on an individual basis. And each bank has its own requirements and restrictions. For example, in case of illegal redevelopment , the loan will most likely not be approved. But there may also be restrictions on the state of the structure, the year of construction. In most cases, banks require the house to be renovated.

When buying an apartment, choose comfortable neighbors for yourself. For the old fund, stuffed to the brim with communal apartments, this rule is especially relevant. At a minimum, it makes sense to pay visits to the apartments located on the floor above and below.

We have thoroughly studied the real estate market of Saint - Petersburg, its patterns and trends, which provides a guarantee of success! We use our professional knowledge and responsibility so that you can make the most profitable deal with guaranteed security!

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