A to Z Home Inspection

What Really Matters

Buying a home? The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, checklist, photographs, environmental reports, and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do? Relax. Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These are nice to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:

1. Major defects. An example of this would be a structural failure.
2. Things that lead to major defects. A small roof-flashing leak, for example.
3. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home.
4. Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electric panel.

Anything in these categories should be addressed. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4).

Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Don't kill your deal over things that don't matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure, or nit-picky items.

Tips for Buying a House

View the Neighborhood
Drive slowly through the neighborhoods you like and note the houses for sale. Contact those brokers to see the house. Getting a broker when you're buying may not as useful as when you are selling - brokers generally represent the buyer (who will pay them). Try getting a recommendation for a good realtor from a friend, or talk to a few before deciding on who you will want to help you find a house. If your state has buyer's agents available, it would be ideal to find one because then they will be working for you and not the seller.

For Sale by Owner
Check the classified ads for houses for sale by owner. You may have more negotiating power since broker commission is not involved. Be sure to have professionals involved in inspecting the house or writing up the contract. There are also brokerages for houses for sale by owner that charge lower commission fees.

Environmental Factors
What kind of environment do you want to live in? Do you like urban or woodsy settings? If there is a farm or big expanse of woods, consider that it may someday be sold and torn down, and the backyard that sold you on the house may be very unappealing to the next buyer. Will noise be an issue? Investigate how far the home is from trains (find out whether it's a frequently-running passenger train or a twice-a-night freighter), fire houses, major highways and 24-hour stores (may be a local evening hot-spot). How close do you want to be to convenience? Check the area for food stores, banks, medical facilities and other important resources.

School System
Consider the school system if you have or are planning to have kids. Better school systems will be associated with more expensive neighborhoods and higher taxes, but are well worth a good education and environment. Remember that towns rich in businesses
often mean lower taxes for the homeowners.

Neighborhood Value
Make sure the value of the house is equal to or less than that of its neighbors. If you buy a $350,000 house in a $200,000 neighborhood, it will be harder to sell since neighboring properties often determine value. If you are considering fixing the house up, be careful. You will not necessarily raise the value of your house by $50,000 even though you may have spent just that much in improvements.

One-Bath Houses
Houses with one bathroom may be cheaper, but not practical if you do not live alone. They are also more difficult to sell.

Sloping Lawns
If the house is on a hill, it may be difficult to mow the lawn. If it snows frequently, slippery sloped driveways may be something to consider. Sometimes a slope tilting toward the house can set up the right conditions for a watery backyard, making a basement more susceptible to water leakage!

Ambulatory Ease
Is it difficult for you or a household member to negotiate steps? If so, consider houses with few steps.

Older vs. Newer Homes
There are good and bad points with newer and older homes. Newer homes have more outlets than older homes, may not have a imminent major repairs (e.g. a roof or other major expense), and may be better insulated. Older homes may also have lead paint and less ergonomic wall and closet space. New homes, however, often need landscaping which can be very expensive. Older homes may also be on a nicer piece of property with older, well established trees and shrubs. If you want an older home to fix up, carefully consider how much time and money you would be willing to spend on projects - always overestimate!

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