Buying a property is a serious investment that calls for a thorough and professional inspection beforehand. Now, even though an expert is supposed to examine the place before the purchase, it never hurts to do your own inspection, just in case.
The things you want to check out are those correlated with your everyday life; that is, stuff you are going to do on a day-to-day basis. They may seem obvious but not every homebuyer even thinks to do these small inspections themselves. Here are 6 DIY home inspections you can do before calling in the professionals.
PULL BACK CARPETS
One of the most expensive jobs done by qualified professionals is mold removal. Unless you want to spend a fortune on a good cleaning company, check every room – and especially the bathroom – for signs of mold. It usually looks as if the walls are dirty, there is no way you don’t notice it. Plus, if there is lots of mold in the property, even if it is not visible, you are going to smell it.
Now that we have mentioned mold, here is what else you might be missing out. Mold and mildew don’t always show. Sometimes they are hidden under furniture and carpets. To find out if this is not the case with the property you want to buy, simply pull part of the carpet back so that you can inspect the floors. It will also allow you to check the condition of the carpet itself.
TASTE THE WATER
If the pipes are old, you may end up getting some extra stuff in your glass every time you turn on the faucets. To eliminate that headache, just taste the water before buying. Why not ask the homeowner to bring you a glass of tap water? If the water is non-potable, you will have to invest in a house filter. However, if you know that in advance, you will be able to spare yourself the stress of finding out too late.
OPEN THE WINDOWS
All the windows! You want to know whether they are in good shape before you sign the papers. It isn’t fun to replace windows right after you move in. And to be honest, it is a costly adventure to take after spending a good chunk of money to buy the property in the first place. Don’t wait to learn it the hard way – have a walk-through of the place and open every single window; see if you need to apply more pressure than necessary to do the trick and also check for damage.
CHECK OUT ALL FAUCETS
Now, another headache (or backache) you want to spare yourself. Before you sign the papers, do yourself a favor and check all the faucets. Turn them on one by one and look for leaks or malfunctioning. Although it is true that changing a faucet is an easy job, you certainly don’t want to end up lying under the sink a few days after the purchase has been made. If you are in luck, all the faucets will work. If not, have the owners replace them before buying.
FLUSH THE TOILET
Speaking of water, another area to have a good look at is the bathroom, specifically the toilet. Does it flush well? Does the bowl fill up with water when you flush? It may be a sign of a clogged toilet. Have all these issues fixed before you sign the papers.
TURN ON THE THERMOSTAT
No matter if it is a crazy sunny day outside or another gloomy, cold wintry day, there is one thing that has to work properly all the time – the thermostat. Make sure the latter is in good condition and is able to maintain a constant temperature environment on the premises. Any other heating or air-conditioning device should be turned on as well.
If after checking all these things your mind is still not at rest, consult with a qualified building expert. Better spend extra money on a professional inspection than to give away thrice as much to repair the damage after that.
Thank you for reading. I hope you found this information useful.
Jeff Pittman, Realtor in Ladera Ranch – Orange County, California