The purchase of your first home can be an exciting and emotional experience. This is the home where you will spend years with your family. It can be stressful. It’s especially stressful if this is your first home. You will be shown many potential homes by your realtor. It is easy to become emotionally involved in the purchase of a home that you are particularly fond of.
Knowing how to identify potential defects in a home can help you stay on your feet and avoid costly repairs once you’ve moved in. To help you keep your unbiased and objective, I have created a sort of cheat sheet for you.
Checklist For Quick Home Inspection
You should note down during your initial home tour specific areas that you would like the inspector to inspect more closely if you were to move forward with escrow. You can use the following checklist to help you look around the house. Do not be afraid to request to see the electrical panel or water heater. This checklist includes the five most important (and expensive) systems in any home.
Roof:
- What is the general condition of the roof?
- Is it old and worn out?
- Is it in good condition or disrepair?
- What if there are missing shingles or tiles?
- Do trees hang over the roof?
Electrical:
- What type of main electrical panels are installed? Breakers? Fuses?
- Is the electrical panel recalled? For more information, visit our Downloads page.
- What is the amperage rating of the panel? The older systems will not accommodate the newer HVAC or electrical appliances.
- Do the lights inside the house work? Are they flickering?
Plumbing:
- Do you have large trees in your front yard? This could indicate that there are tree roots in your main drain. Consider a video inspection to determine the condition of your sewer.
- What is the age of your water heating unit? Is it older or newer looking?
- What type of pipe is attached to your water heater? What is the material of the pipes?
- Are there visible signs of rust or leaks?
- Are there any strange sounds or odors coming from the water heater unit?
- Operate a few taps in the house. What happens if you turn on two faucets at once? Does the pressure drop?
- Does the water drain from the sinks? This could be an indication that the main drain is blocked.
Heating & Air Conditioning
- Ask to see the device and ask it to be turned on.
- Is it older or younger? A date is usually printed on the label attached to the unit.
- Can it be used to heat or cool air?
- Are there any strange noises or odors?
Foundation:
- Is there visible damage on the exterior walls?
- Do you have any trees nearby the foundation?
- Are the doors and windows level?
- Does the floor feel even?
- What is the outside soil like? Expansive and abrasive soil is a serious problem.
Miscellaneous
Yard:
- Do the slopes of the drainage slope towards or away from the house?
- Does the landscaping hang over the roof, or is it overgrown? It is possible that rodents are present.
- Is the condition of the driveways and walkways good?
Garage:
- Is the garage directly accessible from the house? Does the garage door have a solid core, or is it fire-rated if so? Is the door self-closing and solid?
- Do you see any stains (signs) of roof leaks? Roof leaks are easy to spot because the framing is often exposed.
- Do you see any signs of termites on your walls? At the base of the walls, you may see brown, sand-like droppings.
Moving Forward
Your realtor was awesome. He showed you some beautiful homes. You used the home inspection in haines city checklist to remain objective, and now you have found the house you love. Has your offer been accepted? Congratulations!
The clock starts to tick when the escrow opens, giving you a certain number of days in which to complete any necessary inspections, remove contingencies, or make changes to your loan.
It’s now time to schedule a professional house inspection. To make the process less stressful, I have put together some tips to help you get through your inspection. As your next step, be sure to read tips for home inspectors.
The home-buying process should be a joyful and emotional experience for you and your entire family. Enjoy the journey. You and your family deserve the best. Best of luck to you and your family!
