Wed 30th Sep, 2009
First Time Homebuyer’s Guide To Self Inspections
You want to avoid any major surprises when you’re considering a new home purchase so contracting with a professional home inspector can alleviate much of the stress and concerns about your prospective home early in the home buying process.
However, you aren’t required to conduct an official home inspection until after signing the initial contract, so it’s a good idea to learn as much as possible about the condition of the home by having an honest discussion with the seller, and even performing your own ‘mini’ inspection where you can check for basic structural defects or potential problems.
Most sellers will be open to having you inspect the home well before signing any type of contract, and this gives you some leverage when you are negotiating the final price. Barron’s ‘Smart Consumer’s Guide to Home Buying’ encourages all prospective homebuyers to prepare a checklist and note any problems and areas of concern as early as possible. The authors of the book explain that, “If you are thinking about buying a house that will need renovation or upgrading, the more value will be derived from your mini-inspection.”
Create a checklist that you will use in your home inspection. This will help you in taking notes of the general condition and appearance of the house. Below are important issues to include in your notes:
Learn about the age of the home – you’ll want to find out exactly when the home was built, what types of renovations or new construction took place on the home site, and if there are any architect or engineering plans available.
Inspect the house’s foundation – Check if there large cracks around the home and basement. You should also check for water or weather related damages. Ask the seller if the house ever experienced or experiences weather related problems in various seasons.
Inspect the house’s interior for flaws – Walls should be even and free of cracks. Check if you can manipulate the doors with ease. All water entry areas should function properly and keep an eye out for mold and mildew infestations. Take a note of noticeable cracks and corrosions. You might also want to take a snapshot of problems that really stand out.
Inspect the exterior of the house – Check if all windows and doors move smoothly and if these are properly insulated. Inspect the sidings of the house. Look for signs of deterioration.
Examine the heating and air conditioning system – Query the seller about the average cost of operating these systems in a month. You may need to have a new system in place if the old air conditioning system is already inefficient.
Take all the information you gathered and create a written inspection report. You may also use a digital camera or camcorder to take pictures or video clips that you can review later. Video clips and pictures will allow you to document your inspection in more detail. These visual documents may also give you additional negotiation leverage.