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:
Know the age of the house – Know the exact date when the house was built. You must also check if there are any renovations or upgrades done on the home, when they took place and if the house’s blueprints are still available.
Check the foundation for potential problems – are there any large cracks or noticeable water problems around the home or in the basement? Ask about flooding issues and weather-related problems that have taken their toll on the home in different seasons.
Examine the interior of the house – Keep an eye for any defects and other potential sources of problems in the interior of the house. Specifically, you need to check if all walls are even with no cracks and if all doors are easily opened and closed. Take a picture of any visible crack, if possible. Check if there are any molds, foul odors and if all water drainages and faucets are working properly.
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.
Review heating and air conditioning appliances – ask about the average heating and cooling costs each month, and find out how long the systems have been in place. In some cases, you may need to invest in a new water heater or air conditioning system.
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.
