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Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge

Premium Member

More questions on buying a house

I hope you guys are not tired of my topics As an addition to these 2

»Mortgages
»Picking location to buy a house

Is there a way to find out electric, gas, water and sewer rates for an area?

John97
Over The Hills And Far Away
Premium Member
join:2000-11-14
Spring Hill, FL

John97

Premium Member

Before I bought my house, I was able to determine who the providers were for the various utilities and got the rate info.

I was able to pull up my house on the county GIS map and it gave me the company info for water, electric, and trash as they are the only utilities available here. There's no natural gas, and no sewer.

dcurrey
Premium Member
join:2004-06-29
Mason, OH

dcurrey to Dodge

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to Dodge
Seems you can just call the utilities and ask. Nothing is private anymore.

Asiabound
Ex-Pat
Premium Member
join:2002-12-21
Mabinay

Asiabound to Dodge

Premium Member

to Dodge
said by Dodge:

Is there a way to find out electric, gas, water and sewer rates for an area?

Here, yes. You can contact each company, and not only get their current rates, you can request a usage history report for the house you are interested in.
iLearn
join:2013-01-16
canada

iLearn to Dodge

Member

to Dodge
Just like others said, you can call the utility company and get the info. you are looking for.

Also, be sure to know that when you are buying a house and considering the 'efficiency' of that particular home, dont go with the bills provided by the seller as a proof of how efficient that house is. I am not sure if this is common but it had happened to me a few years ago. I inquired about a house and the realtor - in addition to providing me with the details emailed me copies of utility bills and said 'look at the amount, the house is very energy efficient'.

The energy efficiency does not (totally) depend on how much the bill is each month but it depends on other factors. That particular house had a 19 year old conventional furnace - not very efficient.

Thanks

Westofhere
join:2005-04-07
West Coast

Westofhere to Dodge

Member

to Dodge
Check the local city/ town website, they usually have these types of vendors listed.

Msradell
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

Msradell to Dodge

Premium Member

to Dodge
Another thing not to forget to check on is the provider for Internet, television and telephone service. There are many stories on here about people who buy a new house, only to find out that their choice of these services is very limited or nonexistent as far as television and Internet go. Good Internet service is becoming more and more important to most households.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge

Premium Member

said by Msradell:

Another thing not to forget to check on is the provider for Internet, television and telephone service. There are many stories on here about people who buy a new house, only to find out that their choice of these services is very limited or nonexistent as far as television and Internet go. Good Internet service is becoming more and more important to most households.

ISP is one of the first things I check before considering any house. Too dependent on reliable internet connection for work and fun to not check.
Bob4
Account deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey

Bob4 to Dodge

Member

to Dodge
NJ cable TV franchise map - »www.state.nj.us/bpu/pdf/ ··· emap.pdf

NJ electric utility map - »www.njcleanenergy.com/ma ··· tory-map

NJ gas utility map - »www.njcleanenergy.com/ma ··· tory-map

NJ electric and gas suppliers - »www.state.nj.us/bpu/assi ··· dex.html

The realtor's listing sheet should have information specific to the property.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin to Asiabound

Mod

to Asiabound
said by Asiabound:

Here, yes. You can contact each company, and not only get their current rates, you can request a usage history report for the house you are interested in.

You can't get usage history anymore here without the resident's written consent. That changed after 9/11 due to privacy concerns. Still seems strange to me that I can't get that information even for rental houses which I own when it could make the difference in making energy efficiency upgrades, but they now consider it personal, private information.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD to Dodge

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make sure you know if it is sewer or septic; muni water or well water.
iLearn
join:2013-01-16
canada

iLearn to Dodge

Member

to Dodge
Get a home inspection done as well.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge to AVD

Premium Member

to AVD
said by AVD:

make sure you know if it is sewer or septic; muni water or well water.

That was my requirement to the realtor - no septic, no well, no oil heating must have gas already in the house, none of this it's in the street crap.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

nothing wrong with either, just that it factors into the price.
iLearn
join:2013-01-16
canada

iLearn

Member

I personally try to stay away from septic systems.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge to AVD

Premium Member

to AVD
said by AVD:

nothing wrong with either, just that it factors into the price.

It's not that there is anything wrong with either well or septic, it's just something I see no advantages in having and a lot of disadvantages. Just don't need the headache.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

1 recommendation

robbin

Mod

Advantage is I get to live in the country on acreage with a well and septic.

John97
Over The Hills And Far Away
Premium Member
join:2000-11-14
Spring Hill, FL

John97 to Dodge

Premium Member

to Dodge
said by Dodge:

said by AVD:

make sure you know if it is sewer or septic; muni water or well water.

That was my requirement to the realtor - no septic, no well, no oil heating must have gas already in the house, none of this it's in the street crap.

If the street has gas, in most places they will connect your house for free if you add 2 appliances. A gas stove and water heater would do it. So, if you find a place you otherwise love but the gas is in the street - don't overlook it.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge

Premium Member

said by John97:

said by Dodge:

said by AVD:

make sure you know if it is sewer or septic; muni water or well water.

That was my requirement to the realtor - no septic, no well, no oil heating must have gas already in the house, none of this it's in the street crap.

If the street has gas, in most places they will connect your house for free if you add 2 appliances. A gas stove and water heater would do it. So, if you find a place you otherwise love but the gas is in the street - don't overlook it.

I did not know that. Something to look into.