Pre-purchase property inspection is a critical step for any real estate transaction. Without proper property inspections, you may lose out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential profits, even if a home was properly maintained. Even if your house is inspected by a professional inspector before it goes on the market, there are still chances that you will encounter problems in your new home.
Fortunately, today’s home inspection agencies have worked hard to put together a comprehensive pre-purchase property inspection report that will not only help you find problems before they become a problem but will also help you learn about potential repairs and improvements before they cost you more money. This is because of the updated materials and updated equipment and techniques used by these agencies.
Why Use Checklist
Having this pre-purchase property inspection checklist in place will help you learn about any potential problems before you actually purchase the home. Although a lot of things may look fine during an inspection, it is important to note that many of these problems could eventually turn into serious issues that will end up costing you more money than the inspection itself would have cost.
What You Should Look For
The first thing you should check during a pre-purchase inspection is the overall look of the house. If you live in a neighborhood where homes are being sold at a lower price, you can usually tell if a problem exists by looking at the condition of the houses being sold at the same price. If the homes on the block have large cracks in their siding, it will be a very good sign that a costly repair will be needed soon.
Appearance can sometimes be deceiving. If you notice a major problem such as a broken pipe near the kitchen sink, it might be hard to see that it is in fact the cause of the water leak. However, the water leak is clearly the cause.
If the state of the house or area around the house is covered in paint or wallpaper, this may mean that the house has issues that are being ignored by the homeowners or are having problems with its general exterior areas. Since so much can be hidden under paint, wallpaper, and even paint from various other sources, it is important to make sure that the exterior areas of the house are clean and in good condition.
If you notice leaks on the walls, cracks in the siding, or anything else that is not going to look as nice as it should, it is important to get it checked out right away. Although these things may be hidden within the siding or paint, you never know when something major can come crashing through.
Check the Appliances
Once you have inspected the entire house, it is time to inspect any major appliances in the house. Most appliances these days come with their own set of instructions, but there are some that can be tricky. If the furnace has a faulty fuse, you need to immediately shut off the power to the home and begin a major repair.
The washing machine, refrigerator, and other more expensive things should also be inspected thoroughly. If you notice an area that is dirty or is not working properly, this should be cleaned immediately. It is also important to not allow things to become dry where they can cause the maintenance of an appliance to become difficult or impossible.
Water Leaks
Even in the case of water leaks, you should inspect the faucets and any other area of the house that water could enter. Any leaks that may be small enough to not be noticed by you should be checked at the very least, though it is important to be sure that these areas are completely dried before you attempt to fix them. Small leaks can cause significant problems in a short amount of time if they become wet and will cost you more money than the initial inspection itself.
Landscaping Checks
Another important part of any pre-purchase property inspection report should include making sure that the lawn and landscaping look like it does on your home. If there are areas of a home that does not look great, these should be replaced as soon as possible.
The importance of a thorough inspection is very important since it is the first step in determining whether or not a home will be worth the investment. and how much it will cost you to fix it once it becomes a problem.
