Most consumers do comparative research before making a major purchase -- a new car, refrigerator, home entertainment center or certainly, a house. But how many consider the environmental factors surrounding a home or land sale?

When making what, for many, is the most serious purchasing decision in their life, buyers should leave nothing to chance, according to Barry Chalofsky, the author of "The Home and Land Buyer's Guide to the Environment," just published by Rutgers' Center for Urban Policy Research (CUPR) Press. "A house represents freedom from rent payments; an opportunity to have your own piece of land; to have privacy, security and stability," writes Chalofsky, a licensed professional planner, an adjunct professor at Rutgers, and specialist in environmental and land use issues.

"Yet because a house usually represents a significant portion of an individual's or family's income and savings, the expenditure creates tremendous anxiety. We are concerned about making the "right" decision. Unlike most consumer goods, you cannot return a house, even if you keep the receipt!" Chalofsky observes that finances are usually a home buyer's biggest worry -- whether the house and mortgage are affordable. "Too often we don't uncover the environmental concerns until after the house or land is purchased," he writes. "We are apt to get swept away by our emotional attachment to a house or piece of property."

Natural factors that Chalofsky discusses include flood plains, steep slopes, wetlands, high water tables, orientation, sunlight and the likelihood of a disaster occurring. Among man-made factors are the presence of asbestos, lead, electromagnetic fields, noise, odor, underground hazards, Superfund/hazardous waste sites, abandoned landfills and air quality.

Buyers also should inquire about municipal services and utilities, as well as development considerations such as zoning, rights-of-way, easements, deed restrictions, eminent domain and property changes. "Problems with any one, or a combination of these factors, may prove disastrous over the long run," Chalofsky says. "What's more, the results can be equally devastating to individual landowners, whether disaster strikes on a large scale or small."

Chalofsky reminds buyers not to rely exclusively on real estate agents for answers to their environmental questions. "Their primary role is to sell a house or property," he says. "These individuals all are trained in various aspects of sales, but usually their knowledge of environmental concerns is limited." He adds that while real estate agents are supposed to disclose environmental problems that they are aware of, they are not required to know all the problems. "Most of their information comes from the seller, and if the seller does not disclose the information, the agent can't pass it on."

Published: November 4, 1998

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Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.