By Mark J. Donovan
When planning to purchase a new home make sure you get a home inspection first. In fact, make sure the purchase and sales agreement is contingent upon your satisfaction with the home inspection report(s).
A home inspection should include:
- Structural review of the home (framing, exterior doors/windows, siding, roof, floors, walls)
- Water damage (shingle failure and/or siding failure)
- Foundation check (for cracks and settling)
- Electrical wiring check
- Plumbing check
- HVAC check
- Pest damage (insects and rodents)
- Interior Doors/Windows check (are they operational)
- Water quality test (including checking for radon in the water)
- Radon Air test (particularly if the home has a basement or crawl space)
- Hazardous waste test (leaky buried oil tanks)
In addition, if the home is on a private septic system the septic system should be inspected to make sure it is functioning properly and that it is not damaged in any way.
Also, if there are any buried oil tanks on the property they should be inspected to make sure they are not leaking or near failure in leaking.
When signing a purchase and sales agreement allow yourself (the buyer) sufficient time to have the home inspections done. Ideally you should request up to 30 days in the purchase and sales agreement to have the home inspection done and to get the final reports.
It is extremely important to get a home inspection before buying your new home, even if the home is a new home. An uncovered problem during the home inspection does not mean you have to necessarily terminate the purchase and sales agreement. You may want to work with the seller to see if they will fix it, or reduce the price of the home accordingly to allow you to pay for fixing it.
A home inspection is well worth the investment; so before you buy your next home, get a home inspection. Ask your real estate agent to provide you with a list of home inspectors.
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