Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Be Aware of these Things when Looking at a House

By Nicole Ricci


There are so many different things to be aware of when looking at a house, and not all of them are going to be physical characteristics. You will want to take a look at the different things you will need to fix or repair as you walk through the house. All of the repairs may add up quickly, so you will want to keep a running total in your head, or better, bring a piece of paper and pen. The maiin point is, to take in the overall picture of the home.

Homes that are older in age, dating back past the early 80's you are going to want to have checked for asbestos and lead paint, since these were used a lot during this time. The cost to remove both of these things is going to be very costly, and if you are unsure you may be able to ask the realtor. Check the different large appliances in the home, and this isn't just in the kitchen, but you want to look at the breaker boxes and water tanks as well. You may miss this the first time you walk through, but if the home needs work, then odds are those need to be replaced.

A good thing to consider and check are the ceilings in the home, to make sure there are no water leaks. If there are you will see water drippings on the drywall, which after a period of time, and left untreated, will turn to mold. If there is mold present, you can try using a dehumidifier, or you may have to spend a lot of money ripping out walls to fix it.

Make sure that you never buy a home without having it inspected by a licensed inspector, so that you can be sure that all of the electrical work, plumbing, the roof, and everything else that is structural is up to par. This is going to allow you to rest easy, and feel safe when purchasing the home. An inspector is going to see a lot of things that you can see with your eyes on the surface, and they can prevent you from buying a bad home. Lastly, you are going to want to check the price of the home the last time that it sold, and compare it with other homes in the area.

The auditors site is another good resource for deciding what to buy at. You can check the Lake County, IN or Porter County, IN auditors site (or wherever your buying in). Don't just look at the small items, like paint and carpeting, but instead to bigger items. These are a cracked foundation or plumbing problems, because these could wind up costing more than the hosue is worth.

For More Information on Buying a Home in Northwest Indiana, visit www.NicoleRicci.com.




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