The Importance of Home Inspections Before You Buy

When it comes to the list of things you should do when buying a home, home inspections are sometimes overlooked. They can seem tedious, and in some cases, can seem expensive. However, it is important to make sure that you have a presale inspection before you buy a house. Buying a home is a big investment, and you can find yourself unpleasantly surprised when something has to be fixed later on down the road. A presale inspection can also benefit a seller, as it offers insight into how much you really might get for a home, and it can help you avoid scuttling the deal if the buyer gets an inspection and the home is deficient in some way.

Important things to check in home inspections

You can save a great deal of money down the road (and even now!) with home inspections. Here are some of the more important things to look at yourself (and also to have professionally inspected):

1. Home structure: look for things like bulging walls and cracks. Check to see that corners are mostly square, and pay attention to how the flooring feels when you walk on it. Have professional inspectors check the structure to make sure. They will see something in home inspections that sometimes the untrained eye will miss. This includes having the roof properly checked (a poor roof can be an expensive and inconvenient surprise).
2. Water situation: check the layout of the ground. How does it drain? Will water on the property drain into your basement, or does the drainage system lead well away from the house? Have home inspectors check for water damage and evidence of mold and decay. This also includes inside water issues such as the plumbing and water pressure, as well as the condition of the fixtures.
   
3. Heating and electrical: professional home inspections are needed especially in this area. Are the systems efficient? Are they in good repair? Make sure that there are no wires sticking out where they shouldn't, and that the home is wired to meet your electrical and heating needs. Also, if there is a fireplace, home inspections should confirm that it meets code and that it is properly vented and has a spark arrestor.

If a home you are buying does not meet muster, make sure that you amend your asking price. You should always make sure that a home sale is contingent upon home inspections to make sure everything is as it should be. That way you won't be stuck with an expensive problem.

Tags: home buying, personal finance, financial planning, finances,
financial goals, buying home, presale inspection, home inspections