Free checklist for buyers
Buying a waterfront home on the Northern Neck?
Walk the shoreline before you make an offer. Virginia’s seller disclosure statement doesn’t cover bulkheads, piers or shorelines, so this one page checklist shows what to look at yourself and what to ask.
What’s on it
- Bulkhead and shoreline: age, sinkholes, a leaning wall, riprap that has slumped
- Dock, pier and boat lift: pilings, boards, the lift motor and cables, water depth at low tide
- Permits: what to ask the seller for, the 100 foot Bay Act buffer, and the Potomac question
- Insurance and flood: what flood insurance does and doesn’t cover, and FEMA flood maps
- Who to call: The four county permit offices: Lancaster, Northumberland, Westmoreland and Richmond County, with phone numbers
How to use it
- Print it, or open it on your phone, and take it on your first walkthrough.
- Check off what you see, and note anything to ask the seller or your inspector about.
- For anything that looks off, get an estimate from a licensed marine contractor before you close. Our contractor estimate form makes estimates easy to compare.
Free to print and share unchanged. General information only, not a property inspection or legal advice.
More free forms: Seller’s checklist · Contractor estimate form. Find licensed Northern Neck contractors.