7 Home Buying Tips....Day 5

The time to discover expensive defects is before you buy the home. Even brand new homes often have major construction flaws.


Rushed to meet deadlines carpenters sometimes fail to wait for plumbers and heating & air people. They put up beams and walls that block pipes and air ducts.
Plumbers are forced to cut through structural beams to lay their pipes... heating & air people do the same for vents.
A new home should be inspected before the walls are closed up, while structural problems are out in the open.


$350 might sound like a lot to spend for inspections of a fine looking home, but it's cheap if you find $10,000 in defects. Hire an inspector!






Four types of defects:
Hidden defects
Visible defects
Legal defects
Not real defects





Hidden defects are behind the walls, on the roof or out of site inside the furnace and under crawl spaces.


Even professional inspectors might not spot all signs of termite damage, faulty wiring and improper roofing, but a good inspector is your best protection. Take the time to be present during the inspection, ..and ask lots of questions! Your presence insures the most thorough inspection.


Visible defects are out in the open for attentive buyers to see. Check for the following red flags... (make a note and review with your professional inspector).


Moisture: water stains on ceilings, damp basement walls or musty odors are all signs of possible water damage.
Cracks in plaster walls might mean nothing, but all cracks should be investigated by a professional, especially cracks around fireplaces or in foundation walls.
Uneven floors: floors that are not level could mean the house is sinking. It might have done all its settling in the first year and has been stable since, but have it checked.
Loose doors: Look for light coming in around and under exterior doors. These might need insulation or refitting.

Alignment: Doors not perfectly vertical. If you can see more space between a door and its frame at one end than at the other, the door is installed improperly and will eventually stick or fail to lock.
Tilted stairways: Like uneven floors, tilted stairways indicate movement in the foundation. Make a note and discuss with your inspector.


Legal defects:


A real estate attorney will spot liens on the property or other challenges to the title, such as inheritance disputes.
A building inspector is needed to spot oversized pools, illegal tool shacks and other zoning violations.


Not really defects:


Sticky doors & windows: Hard to open windows are not serious problems, but they make good negotiating points. Ask for a few hundred dollars off the price or some other concession from the seller.
Horrid or ancient paint jobs are not defects, they are signs of poor maintenance, and make useful negotiating points.


Sellers disclosures:
Most states require sellers and real estate agents to make full disclosure of all known mechanical, structural and legal problems.
Many sales contracts require termite inspections plus disclosures about lead paint and other hazards.