When looking to buy a new home, there is a lot to learn and pay attention to before you put your signature on the paperwork. Home inspections help you to gain an understanding of what you are buying before you buy it. Knowing which questions to ask and which people to accompany you during the scary inspection is vital. After reading, you will be more confident than ever in tackling your upcoming home inspection.
Bringing the right people along
Even though your realtor might have a list of preferred home inspectors, it is essential to do research first so you can find the best of the best – this step is the most important. The more knowledgeable the person is in the home inspection business, the more it will help you in the end. The benefit of finding your own home inspector is that they will have no affiliation with your realtor and will be able to not sugar coat specific issues. Recruiting the best of the best may come at a price, but their guidance may be able to save you money at the end of it all.
Before the home inspection
Some things can be done on your end before the home inspection takes place. You and your realtor could schedule a time to visit the house pre-inspection, so you can make clear observations and come up with a list of questions to ask. Bring a notepad and a pen and write down everything you notice that could be out of place, or worth investigating. Problems could be things like water damage, foundation issues, or electrical wiring. If you see something worth noting, take a quick picture of it with a detailed description and where it is located on the property to help you for your future inspection.
Ask questions
Without the home inspector, you could have a property on your hands that you could regret later. The right person will tell you all the issues about the property and will be able to tell you if your future decision would be worth your time or not. On the other hand, they could offer you and your realtor some advice on what to ask the homeowner to fix before you buy. In this scenario, there are no silly questions; this is what keeps you from having unforeseen problems later down the road.
Two important things to look for during an inspection
The water heater and the furnace both fall into the pricey category if they are old and are in need of a replacement. I would make it appoint to investigate both systems to make sure each is not out of date, are working correctly and take note of past services performed on them. That way, if either of these systems is in poor conditions, you could work out a deal with the homeowner, in hopes of lowering the asking price of the property.
Paying attention to plumbing
A couple of things to notice that could be indicators of more massive plumbing problems are low water pressure and a slow drain. These areas like the kitchen and bathrooms would be significant to observe during your pre-inspection with your realtor. Turn on the water to make sure that the pressure is up to standard, and that leaks are not coming from the drains. If so, you will be able to notify your home inspector properly, so they will be able to check the water main and the shutoff points at the time of inspection.
