subject: Always First Steps - Doing Your Own Visual Inspections Of Homes For Sale [print this page] Buying a house is an important milestone in anybody's life. It consists of a large investment of time and money. While it's an exciting process, it is one that should be not be taken lightly. Regardless of whether you're buying your first house or you're moving to a new place, there are several aspects you should keep in mind when visually inspecting homes for sale.
Even though you can sit back and hire a home inspection specialist to take a look at any prospective properties, you should always take the time to visually inspect it yourself. By doing your own scouting, you can save further time and trouble of considering a home that needs too much work and isn't worth the investment. Also, doing your own inspecting can give you important room for negotiation. The more knowledge you can gain about a property you're interested in, the better. By pointing out the parts of a house that require immediate repairs, you can gain a better chance of getting a better price.
When walking around the properties of homes for sale, you'll want to first look for any obvious cracks or leaks. If you see an abundant amount, this is a good indication that the ceilings need to be inspected thoroughly. If there's a basement, be sure to take a look. Look closely at the basement walls and floors. If you see signs of leakage and plentiful moisture, there's a good chance the house's foundation needs to be fixed. If there are puddles of water on the floor, you can bet that there is leakage in the house that has to be addressed. Also, ensure that there is a source that allows for proper drainage. There has to be a way for water to drain properly to prevent the basement from flooding due to excess rain or snow. If there is no basement, check to see if there is a crawl space. If so, check it for moisture as well. If you see any dampness or wetness, there may be some issues with drainage. Make sure you address the issue and factor in the cost of potential repair.
When analyzing the walls and ceilings of homes for sale, look for watermarks. Regardless of what the walls and ceilings are made out of, if you see watermarks, there is no doubt an issue of water leaking into the foundation of the house. This should raise a major red flag, as this can open up the possibility of the presence of mold. This can cause a major health hazard, which will have to be addressed immediately if you opt to invest in the house.
Even if you do take the time to do your own inspections for potential homes for sale, you should still hire a building inspector to give the green light on the properties. A pest expert should give you their opinion as well. Both of these specialists can inform you of the potential hazards you may face currently or in the future.
