A buyer hoping to move into a nearly finished home in upstate New York is facing an unexpected obstacle: a utility pole still lying beside the road.
The closing date remains uncertain, the buyer said, because the home cannot receive permanent electricity until the pole is installed.
Here's what to know
The buyer shared their concerns in Reddit's r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer community, explaining that a call to the local utility office had confirmed the source of the delay.
Both the electrical/fire-underwriter inspection and the permanent-power connection couldn't move forward without installing the pole. The builder still had no date for that work.
The buyer attributed the holdup to the utility's crew schedule, assuming the builder had handled the necessary preparations. That assumption rested on his experience completing many homes locally.
No dependable timetable emerged from the replies. The buyer had sought others' experiences with the inspection and meter installation, as well as how long it took to erect a delivered pole and then get permanent electricity.
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More background
The contract contained neither a binding closing deadline nor provisions covering construction delays, according to the buyer's response to a commenter who asked about those protections.
A pre-Thanksgiving closing looked unlikely, the buyer reported in a follow-up. They had hoped for that timing, and the builder had initially said it might be possible.
A commenter facing a similar electricity holdup on a different home purchase had discovered there was no meter at the first walkthrough. Power was still unconfirmed after the planned closing moved from Oct. 28 to Oct. 30.
The commenter later reported another week's delay. Their attempt to get information from the utility had been unsuccessful because the account was in someone else's name.
What can be done?
Simply hearing that everyone was waiting was inadequate, one commenter argued. They recommended requesting the utility's work order and its current status in writing.
No pole-installation date had been supplied, the buyer said; that was the builder's only update in their text exchanges.
Asking about the next required step could help clarify what remains unresolved, even if a completion date is still unavailable.
Commenters disagreed about how much control the builder had over the situation. One urged continued calls to the utility, while another argued that the builder could not control its schedule.
Without a closing date, planning the move remained difficult. "I'm pretty stressed, and I'm mainly trying to understand what to expect," the buyer explained.
Where can I learn more?
Closing delays and electrical problems have left other homebuyers struggling to plan their moves. These stories cover unexpected utility equipment, blocked property access, and wiring problems affecting insurance or financing.
• Homebuyers gave notice on their apartment before a seller in Montenegro refused to close.
• A buyer discovered an undisclosed transformer on the lot that professionals said wouldn't move.
• A homeowner found a new utility guy wire blocking an existing gate and sought options.
• A buyer faced a $31,000 rewiring bill after an insurer objected to knob-and-tube wiring.
• A first-time buyer locked a 6.375% rate before a lender questioned an old electrical panel.
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