What to Expect When Inspecting

A home inspection is a very important part of the / home buying process.  Before you make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, you want to make sure that you're investing in a good piece of property, not sinking your savings into a money pit.  While you definitely need a professional's opinion (via a licensed home inspector), there are some things you should look at for yourself beforehand.  Here's a list of areas you should personally view so you know what to expect when inspecting:

Mold/Water Damage - Water is one of the fundamental keys to life.  In fact, 70% of the surface of the earth is covered with water.  And, while you can go more than a week without food, your body needs water every single day (which isn't surprising when you consider that the human body is composed of approximately two-thirds water).  But water needs to be confined to either the outside of your / home or inside its plumbing.  Water stains on the ceilings, moisture buildup near faucets and mold anywhere in the house can be a sign that a water leak is or has been occurring somewhere in the home.  This can be a costly fix.

Insulation - If the / home you are looking at has an attic, visit it.  Proper insulation means the house stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.  Ask the current homeowner what they pay seasonally for their utilities to better gauge the effectiveness of the home's insulation as well as prepare yourself for what to expect to pay throughout the year to heat and cool it.

Appliances - Typically, the home's appliances are part of the purchase price.  So, take a close look at their condition and age.  Newer, more energy efficient models are easier on the pocketbook then older models.  If the home has a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, water heater, washer or dryer that is older than 10 years, you will most likely want and need to replace it.

Outside - Don't forget to look outside of the / house.  Cracks in the walls or around the windows and doors could indicate a potential problem with the foundation.  All homes settle over time, but these cracks could be a possible red flag for an expensive repair.  Also, make sure all large trees are planted away from the home.  Root systems tend to spread out as trees grow.  Larger root systems have been known to lift an entire house off its foundation.  They can also burrow into your home's water system if too close to underground pipes.

Neighborhood - After you've looked for water leaks, checked the state of the insulation, inspected the appliances and viewed the exterior, take a look around at the other / homes in the neighborhood.  They were most likely constructed around the same time as the home you're looking at and, quite possibly, by the same construction company.  How do they look?  Are the owners taking care of their homes and properties?  What's the noise like?  Visiting the neighborhood at various times of the day and days of the week can help you better gauge what the neighborhood's regular routine will be when you live there.

Knowing what to expect when inspecting means being proactive in the / home buying process.  Performing your own pre-inspection will help you focus better on your professional home inspector's report.  Make a list of the possible problems you noted on your preview so you can ask your inspector about them later.  What you thought might be an issue may actually turn out not to be a big deal after all. 

Originally posted on my Northern Virginia Homes real estate blog here: http://northernvirginiahomes.net/2012/03/08/what-to-expect-when-inspecting/.