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.
Sellers typically allow prospective buyers to inspect their home before anyone enters into any agreement. Barron's 'Smart Consumer's Guide to Home Buying' advises homebuyers to use a checklist in taking note of any problems and issues in the earliest time possible. The book further explains, "If you are thinking about buying a house that will need renovation or upgrading, the more value will be derived from your mini-inspection." The mini-inspection will ultimately give you a bargaining leverage when negotiating for the price of the home you are buying.
Consider creating a checklist for a home inspection report so you can do a walk-through of the home and take notes about the appearance and overall condition of the home. Here are some essential areas to cover:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Look at all your notes and create a written report about the condition of the house you just inspected. You may also consider using a digital camera or camcorder to take pictures and videos for a more detailed review in the future. This additional effort may give you an advantage over the seller come negotiation time. - 23309
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.
Sellers typically allow prospective buyers to inspect their home before anyone enters into any agreement. Barron's 'Smart Consumer's Guide to Home Buying' advises homebuyers to use a checklist in taking note of any problems and issues in the earliest time possible. The book further explains, "If you are thinking about buying a house that will need renovation or upgrading, the more value will be derived from your mini-inspection." The mini-inspection will ultimately give you a bargaining leverage when negotiating for the price of the home you are buying.
Consider creating a checklist for a home inspection report so you can do a walk-through of the home and take notes about the appearance and overall condition of the home. Here are some essential areas to cover:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Look at all your notes and create a written report about the condition of the house you just inspected. You may also consider using a digital camera or camcorder to take pictures and videos for a more detailed review in the future. This additional effort may give you an advantage over the seller come negotiation time. - 23309
About the Author:
About the Author: Alexandria P. Anderson is a Minnesota Real Estate agent that helps people to find and purchase Condos in Minnesota and other properties in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
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