Why heavy rain can be a buyer's best friend

By Alexis A. Acacio, contributor
Inquirer News Service

THE RAINY season is what real estate marketers consider a lean season in which they feel a slowdown in property purchases. This is because most home buyers do not have the feeling and energy to shop for a home when there is continuous rain. Maybe another reason is that the high tuition fees have just eaten up the family savings in June so the downpayment for the home has to be realigned.

From a real estate marketer's perspective, the rainy season may be a lean month but for real estate buyers, this can be a good opportunity to look for property. And it does not matter whether one is looking for a vacant lot, beach home, commercial property or a residential home.

Typical home problems

Buying a home during the rainy season can offer the home buyer a situation that cannot be experienced during the dry season -- that is, continuous rain that may bring out the defects of a poorly built house. The typical home problems that come out during the rainy season that cannot be detected during summer are access, floods, roof leaks, grounded electricity, porous walls, warping cabinets and flooded streets, among others.

• Access roads. In continuous heavy rain, you will be able to discover the passable routes and the impassable ones. By this, you can decide on which location you would want to live on. Access roads are as important as the site itself. If for example you are buying a house in the mountain that is several hundred feet above sea level but the access roads leading to it are always flooded with a slight rain, then the property may not be desirable at all.

• Flooded areas. You can observe whether the area you are looking at is flooded or not. The best way to check is by going there yourself during a heavy rain. You may even ask the residents themselves if the area floods when it rains. If you can see sandbags and unusually elevated homes in the area, then it may be a sign that the subdivision easily gets flooded.

• Grounded electrical lines. A poorly maintained (and dangerous) electrical system sometimes shows its symptoms during the rainy season. Ask a professional to check out these defects for you.

• Leaking roofs and ceilings. A wet ceiling is mainly due to a leaking roof. In case you are visiting a home when it is not raining, be specifically cautious about watermarks in the ceiling. These are signs of a defective roof system.

• Porous walls. Firewalls and walls that are continuously exposed to rainfall manifest leaks and moisture if they are not properly made and maintained. You can only observe these defects when it is raining.

• Overflowing rivers. If you are buying a property that is adjacent or near a river, then you must check if the river overflows when there is a heavy rainfall. You may ask the neighbors on the situation but better yet, go there yourself during a heavy rain.

• Warped cabinets. If the wall behind the cabinet has a water leak, then the wooden cabinet would naturally warp. Warped cabinets are the product of excessive moisture that usually comes from leaking ceilings and roofs.

Visiting a property you are considering during a heavy rain can give you very important information that you will never get during the dry months. Yes, it may be difficult to push yourself to visit your dream home when it is raining (as most of us would rather stay home) but for sure, it has its rewards. So if you are still looking for your dream home, get up and look for it this season.

So the next time it rains very hard, remember that it may just be the best time to look for a home.