HOMEBUYERS: Should be advised of planned changes

I am writing as a private citizen, but my position as a Hayden councilmember has brought this issue to my attention. Over the past months, citizens of Hayden have contacted me about their concerns regarding various issues.

One that has come up multiple times is that they have discovered, after the closing, that the home that they have purchased is in an area soon to change dramatically. The last instance dealt with the widening of Ramsey Road. A citizen purchased the home in the last year and was not made aware, by the previous owner, or the real estate agent, that Ramsey was going to be widened. This will result in significantly more traffic. There will be significantly more commercial (larger trucks) vehicles. The widening will bring the roadway closer to the structure of the home. It will be increasingly dangerous for the owner, and his new teen drivers, to back out of the driveway.

This is not the first time that a recent home purchaser has not been advised by the real estate agent of significant issues that will affect the buyer. The Ramsey widening project has been in the works for years. There appears to be, a population of agents, who, in my opinion, are derelict in their responsibilities of full disclosure. Is this the result of a zealous pursuit of that closing commission? There needs to be some documentation of disclosure of these types of issues that will affect the buyer’s decision.

ED DePRIEST

Hayden