Many homebuyers make the mistake of hiring a home inspector after the actual home purchase. But, that is when they realized they have made a terrible, and costly, mistake. Namely, what inexperienced homebuyers see are all the colorful flowers, freshly painted walls, polished hardwood floors, and other superficial finishing touches. However, what they do not see are holes in the roof, cracked foundation, ancient pipes, fatal wiring, and other hazardous defects. These defects are not only costly to repair but are also life-threatening.
Thus, save yourself and your family from this, and hire a home inspector before you actually buy a home and move in. Only a professional of this kind will be able to assess the condition of the home you are interested in. But, it doesn’t hurt to know what to look out for when viewing different homes too. So, we prepared a home inspection checklist for buyers that might be very useful to anybody who wants a safe and move-in-ready home.
What is a Home Inspection
Before we start talking about a home inspection checklist for buyers, let us first talk about what home inspection actually is. Namely, a home inspection is when you hire a professional home inspector to assess the condition of the home you are interested in buying. He (or she) will walk through the entire home, prepare a report that states all the house’s or apartment’s major components, their condition, what needs immediate replacement or renovation, and what must be done after moving in.
This report does wonders when it comes to prioritizing tasks! You will know exactly what requires your immediate attention and you will be able to avoid all those common renovation mistakes. But not only that – if your report states that the home is in a bad condition, the chances of you negotiating a lower price with the seller will be very high.
Home Inspection Checklist for the Exterior
Buying a home can be an extremely overwhelming process. So, cut your to-do tasks as much as you can. However, if you too want to participate in the home evaluation, we prepared a checklist just for that. With that being said, here are things to pay attention to when it comes to the exterior of the house:
- Are gutters properly attached to the house?
- Are any shingles missing from the roof?
- Do you see any stains on the facade of the house? Do you see moss or mold?
- Are there any cracks on the foundation?
- Does the foundation look sunken?
- Do all the windows and doors open and close easily?
- Is there moisture around the doors and windows?
- Do outside lighting fixtures work?
- Are there any tree branches too close to the house?
These are some of the most important things to check when inspecting the home. If you notice any of these, it is a big red flag. And, if you are not certain about something, call the professionals immediately. Just remember – inspect the home before you buy it and call excalibur-movers.com movers to come and help you relocate!
Home Inspection Checklist for the Interior
If you thought that the first checklist was overly complex, wait until you see this one. We are not trying to scare you – all we want is to tell you about some of the most common problems that can be found during home inspections. Noticing those problems on time will help you save a lot of time, energy, and of course, the money you would later spend on fixing them. So, instead of checking the interior decor accessories, check the following interior things:
- Does the home smell unusual?
- Are there any signs of moisture in the basement and attic?
- What kind of insulation does the home have?
- Are heating and cooling systems old? When were they installed/replaced?
- How is the water pressure?
- Do the bathroom fixtures work? Is there any leaking around them?
- Do all the light switches work?
- Are wires visible?
- Are all the outlets grounded?
- Do all the major appliances work?
- Do all the interior doors open and close properly?
- Are there any signs of pests?
- Is the furniture in good condition?
Once again, if you are not sure about something, better call a professional right away. It is better to be safe than sorry. The same thing applies to moving as well. If you are not sure whether you should move to a particular home right now, give yourself enough time to think and reevaluate your decisions. When it comes to buying a home and moving, it is important to take your time and double-check everything.
Hiring a Home Inspector
Hopefully, we have persuaded you to hire a home inspector as soon as you set you eyes on a certain home. If we have, great. Now, let us tell you how to hire one. The easiest way is to ask your friends or family members for recommendation. After all – word of the mouth is always the best option. However, if you can’t get any recommendations, then, turn to ‘googling’. Most of home inspectors advertise their services online. So, get their contact information and call them or visit them in person. Do not just hire the first home inspector you come across, no. First, do background check on all of them. If anything seems suspicious, do not hesitate to just ‘walk away’.
Once you have narrowed down your search, call the inspectors and ask for an inspection report sample. Some reports are just one page long, others are a hundred pages long. Of course, longer reports are not necessarily better, so ask the inspectors what is actually included in their services. Do not be afraid to ask for explanations and answers – you are the client, and when it comes to home inspections, there are no wrong questions! Moreover, do not forget to ask about their pricing – an average home inspection cost around 500$ – anything too lower or too higher than that is a red flag as well.
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