House hunting is probably one of the few endeavors in which you want to start at the top and work your way into the cellar.
One of the safest ways to ensure that your dream house won`t turn into a horror hotel is to inspect it thoroughly before agreeing to anything.
”It is a very important part,” says Mary Jo Ochylski, a Realtor with Weir, Manuel, Snyder & Ranke in Plymouth, Mich. ”In the business of attending to all the details to properly closing the transaction, oftentimes buyers will spend too short a time on it.”
Housing experts suggest you spend at least 90 minutes during your second visit, without friends or children who could distract you from your mission.
And don`t come empty-handed. A pair of binoculars, paper and pencil, flashlight and screwdriver will be your tools of the trade.
Shingle wear?
Start with the roof. Using the binoculars, check whether there is any curling of the shingles. Start with the southern exposure. That`s the side that takes greatest beating.
Do the shingles seem worn? Are they missing a lot of gravel?
Check the trees for overhanging branches and limbs. These cannot only gum up the gutters and help rot the roof, they also can be a source of carpenter ants.
Perhaps the most common cause of a roof going bad prematurely is a lack of ventilation. You should have one square foot of ventilation for every 150 square feet of roof.
”Roofs generally last 18 to 22 years,” says Lon Grossman, president of Technihouse Inspectors in Bloomfield Township and a columnist for the Detroit Free Press. ”If your house is 20 years old, you know you`ve either got a new roof or will need a new roof soon.”
Use the binoculars to inspect the chimney. Are the bricks loose? Is the mortar between the joints falling out? Is there a screen on top to keep birds and small animals out?
Use your screwdriver to check all the wood you can reach, around the windows, sills and trim. If the wood is in good shape, at most you`ll only dent it. If the screwdriver sinks into the wood, it could be rotting.
Look at the landscape. Does the ground slope toward the house? Do the gutters deposit runoff close to the house? Does the house have flower beds with railroad ties that trap water to the foundation? All of these things can contribute to a leaky basement.
Once inside, imagine the house as yours and test every appliance, faucet, toilet, drawer and window.
Leaky basement?
In the basement, your main concern is whether there is a leak.
”Does it look like the people are using the space for living?” says Grossman. ”Is there carpeting down there? If they are using it, it`s unlikely they are worried about leaking.”
If the house was built between 1960 and 1973, ask whether aluminum wiring was used. That could be a fire hazard and it`s expensive to replace. c8
If you still like the house after you`ve inspected it, it`s time to call in the professionals.
You can make an offer with the help of a real estate agent or attorney that includes such things as how much you are willing to spend and how much you want to pay down.
Whatever the offer, you should make it contingent on a successful home inspection, which should cost about $250 to $300, and will take a couple of hours.
