Page 62 - John Vietze Buyers Guide
P. 62

6  SEWER                                                    may experience significant movement causing a major
              Even if the listing or SPDS indicates that the         problem.
              property is connected to the city sewer, a plumber,    If it has been disclosed that the property is subject to any
              home inspector, or other professional should verify    such soil conditions or if the buyer has any concerns about
              it. Some counties and cities can perform this test as   the soil condition or observes evidence of cracking, the
              well.                                                  buyer should secure an independent assessment of the
                                                                     property and its structural integrity by a licensed, bonded,
         7  Water/Well Issues                                        and insured professional engineer.
              The property may receive water from a municipal        https://azre.gov/PublicInfo/Fissures
              system, a private water company, or a well. You        (ADRE – Overview of Arizona Soils)
              should investigate the availability and quality of the   http://bit.ly/2sXBHHw (Problem Soils)
              water to the property, as well as the water            http://bit.ly/2MpcKNU
              provider. A list of Arizona’s water companies is       (Shrink/Swell Potential & FAQs)
              available at the Arizona Corporation Commission.
              https://www.azcc.gov/utilities/water                   http://bit.ly/2yfzVHR
              (Arizona Corporation Commission - Utilities-Water)     (Information on Land Subsidence & Earth Fissures)
                                                                     www.btr.state.az.us
              https://new.azwater.gov/aaws/statutes-rules
              (Assured and Adequate Water Supply)                    (State Certified Engineers & Firms)
             Adjudications: Arizona is undertaking several Stream   9  Previous Fire/Flood
             Adjudications, which are court proceedings to
             determine the extent and priority of water rights in    If it is disclosed there has been a fire or flood on the
             an entire river system.                                 property, a qualified inspector should be hired to
             For information regarding water uses and watersheds     advise you regarding any possible future problems as
                                                                     a result of the fire or flood damage and/or any
              affected by these adjudications, and the forms upon    subsequent repairs. For example, if the property was
              sale of the property, visit the Department of Water    not properly cleaned after a flood, mold issues may
              Resources online.                                      result. Your insurance agent may be able to assist you
              https://new.azwater.gov/adjudications
              (Department of Water Resources – Adjudications)        in obtaining information regarding fire, flood, or other
                                                                     past damage to the property.
              Additionally, the Verde Valley Water Users assists   10 Pests
              members in matters pertaining to the Gila River
              System Adjudication.                                   Cockroaches, rattlesnakes, black widow spiders,
              www.verdevalleywaterusers.org(Verde Valley Water Users Association)   scorpions, termites and other pests are common in
                                                                     parts of Arizona. Fortunately, most pests can be
             CAGRDs: The Central Arizona Groundwater                 controlled with pesticides.
             Replenishment District (CAGRD) functions to replenish
             groundwater used by its members, individual             Scorpions: Scorpions, on the other hand, may be
                                                                     difficult to eliminate. If the buyer has any concerns or
             subdivisions and service areas of member water          if the SPDS indicates the seller has seen scorpions or
             providers. Homeowners in a CAGRD pay an annual          other pests on the property, seek the advice of a pest
             assessment fee which is collected through the county    control company.
             property tax process based on the amount of
             groundwater served to member homes.                     Bed bugs: Infestations are on the rise in Arizona
              www.cagrd.com                                          and nationally.
              (Central Arizona Ground Water Replenishment District)   Roof Rats: Roof Rats have been reported in some
                                                                     areas by Maricopa County Environmental Services.
          8  Soil Problems                                           Termites: Consumer Information is available from the
              The soil in some areas of Arizona has “clay-like”      Arizona Department of Agriculture.
              tendencies, sometimes referred to as “expansive soil.”   Bark Beetles: Bark beetles have been reported in
             Other areas are subject to fissure, subsidence and      some forested areas.
              other soil conditions. Properties built on such soils


               Page | 7 of 13                Arizona Department of Real Estate          Buyer Advisory (December 2020)
   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67