Homes for Sale with a Basement in Mooresville, NC

Beth Sterner
Beth Sterner
Published on March 5, 2017

If you are looking for a new home with a basement for sale in Mooresville, NC, you are at the right place! I have compiled a list of all the Homes for Sale with a Basement in Mooresville. Make sure you scroll past the listings where you will find links to homes with a basement in other Lake Norman communities. I have also compiled great information about the 7 things you should consider when buying a home with a basement in Mooresville.

Click on the links below to see Homes for Sale with Basements in Lake Norman area:

Statesville                                         Huntersville

Troutman                                          Denver

Mooresville                                       Sherrills Ford

Davidson                                           Terrell

Cornelius                                          Charlotte

We have heard the saying about kids living in their parents basement until the are well into their 20’s, or even later. For many people the vision of a basement is dark, damp, smelly, and filled with gaming systems and computers. If you find the right basement, you may want to kick your kids out, move into basement and renting out your upstairs. Okay that may be extreme, but you will love a basement and the possibilities it adds for entertainment, leisure and even additional storage.

Rent Your Basement

Many of my clients are seeing basements as the new apartment or condo. You may have adult children living at home already, or are planning to move home. Some families find the basement as a great way to allow your older children to live at home without occupying space on the main floors of the house. You can even charge them rent!

Cheaper Alternative to Nursing Home

Baby boomers are finding basements as a cheaper alternative to assisted living facilities and nursing home for their aging parents. The cost to convert your basement into an assisted living space can cost less than half of 1 year at at a facility offering elder living and care. The cost of senior care at an assisted living facility can be as much as $6000 per month, that’s $72,000 per year! Some basements may not offer the layout to support this conversion but if it has a walkout entrance to driveway or yard it will be much safer and easier for older adults to avoid stairs.

What are Basements Good for?

As more people are considering finished basements as living and entertainment space, basements are losing their dark, dungeness reputation. You can find homes for sale with a basement in Mooresville utilizing the space as an office, game room, guest bedrooms and bathrooms, home theaters and even home gyms. Families sometimes spend more time in their basement than they do on the main floors.

 What Should I Look in a Basement?

Not all basements are constructed with sound foundations and it may not be easy or affordable to convert the space into a man-cave or living space. You have likely watched a home renovation reality show or maybe you have undertaken a house flip yourself, either way, finding unexpected structural damage or foundation problems can ruin your remodeling budget. Before you start your search for homes for sale with a basement in Mooresville, consider these 7 things.

1. What is the Water Situation?

Not every house has a good basement, especially older homes. Water should be your biggest concern when looking at homes for sale with a basement in Mooresville, NC. The clay soil in NC creates a challenging environment for constructed sound basements, however if built correctly, you should never have to worry about the integrity of your home or basement.

A good home inspector can help you through the buying process of a house with a basement to ensure no water problems exist. If you see any signs of water in the basement, it will need to be repaired before any remodeling is started.

2. How Does the Grade of the Property Affect a Basement

The grade or slope of the property around the home is a major water-related concern when looking at homes for sale with basements. If proper grading or drainage was not done you may find water flowing toward the basement. These issues need to be fixed before considering any type of construction is performed in the basement of your home.

3. Does the Basement Ceiling Meet Local Building Codes?

Most local building code requires basement ceiling height of more than 6 feet high to pass for apartment construction. Remember the building code usually pertains to finished basements and not unfinished. The ductwork and ceilings will often take up over a foot of headroom, so if you want to finish a basement you will need to consider this.

4. What Can You do if there is Obstructions to the Ceiling Joists?

In an unfinished basement you should be able to look up and see the above floor joints. There will likely be water lines, electrical, ductwork and other essential things running to various parts of your home. If anything is obstructed the ceiling joist, meaning they run beneath the level of the joists, you will need to consider a few options. One option, if there is room, would be to reconfiguring anything in the way. This may not be feasible and could be costly so you will want to consider a dropped ceiling when drywall is not an option.

Whether you have a dropped ceiling or drywall, painting the ceiling a darker color, even black, will give you an illusion of taller ceilings.

5. Can you legally Create an Apartment in the Basement?

Not every local city allows homeowners to rent their basement. Contact a Top Local Realtor or zoning office before planning your remodel or buying a home for sale with a basement in Mooresville or surrounding area. Always ask for the information in writing as some codes allow construction of basement and others may not.

6. Has the HVAC Already Been Hooked Up in the Basement?

If the basement has existing ductwork and is connected to your homes HVAC system, you are in luck! If not, you will need to raise your budget for this hefty cost to have this installed. Depending on the size of the existing heating and cooling system, you may be able to tie into it with the new ductwork in basement. I would recommend talking to a local HVAC professional who can determine if the existing HVAC system will be able to handle the additional load required to heat and cool the basement square footage.

7. Radon Testing Before Buying a Home

Radon can be found in new and old homes depending on the location and the soil surrounding the house. Radon is a natural, odorless gas that can seep into your home and cause dangerous health issues. You can find good radon test kits at your local home improvement store or a qualified home inspector can test it for you.

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