Contracting a professional home inspector before buying a home is a good way to ensure that you will not encounter any major problems after you've signed a contract and bought a house.
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.
Most sellers will be open to having you inspect the home well before signing any type of contract, and this gives you some leverage when you are negotiating the final price. Barron's 'Smart Consumer's Guide to Home Buying' encourages all prospective homebuyers to prepare a checklist and note any problems and areas of concern as early as possible. The authors of the book explain that, "If you are thinking about buying a house that will need renovation or upgrading, the more value will be derived from your mini-inspection."
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:
The age of the house - You should know exactly when the house was built. Find out if there are any renovations or upgrades done and when these took place. Ask if blueprints, architect or engineer plans are 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.
Inspect the house's interior for flaws - Walls should be even and free of cracks. Check if you can manipulate the doors with ease. All water entry areas should function properly and keep an eye out for mold and mildew infestations. Take a note of noticeable cracks and corrosions. You might also want to take a snapshot of problems that really stand out.
Examine the exterior of the house - Again, look for any obvious defects and potential problems. First, check if all doors and windows open and close easily. You might also want to check if they are properly insulated. Take note of the sidings and see noticeable signs of wear and tear.
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.
In addition to the written inspection report, you may consider taking pictures or short video clips using a digital camera/camcorder so you can review everything again in more detail at a later date. This extra footage or coverage may also give you an upper hand during the negotiation process with the seller.
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.
Most sellers will be open to having you inspect the home well before signing any type of contract, and this gives you some leverage when you are negotiating the final price. Barron's 'Smart Consumer's Guide to Home Buying' encourages all prospective homebuyers to prepare a checklist and note any problems and areas of concern as early as possible. The authors of the book explain that, "If you are thinking about buying a house that will need renovation or upgrading, the more value will be derived from your mini-inspection."
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:
The age of the house - You should know exactly when the house was built. Find out if there are any renovations or upgrades done and when these took place. Ask if blueprints, architect or engineer plans are 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.
Inspect the house's interior for flaws - Walls should be even and free of cracks. Check if you can manipulate the doors with ease. All water entry areas should function properly and keep an eye out for mold and mildew infestations. Take a note of noticeable cracks and corrosions. You might also want to take a snapshot of problems that really stand out.
Examine the exterior of the house - Again, look for any obvious defects and potential problems. First, check if all doors and windows open and close easily. You might also want to check if they are properly insulated. Take note of the sidings and see noticeable signs of wear and tear.
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.
In addition to the written inspection report, you may consider taking pictures or short video clips using a digital camera/camcorder so you can review everything again in more detail at a later date. This extra footage or coverage may also give you an upper hand during the negotiation process with the seller.
About the Author:
Author: Alexandria P. Anderson specializes helping people to find and purchase Richfield MN real estate, as well as Richfield homes for sale for her Minnesota real estate clients.
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