When you are buying a home, there are many things that you need to check before you close escrow on the property. The house might look like your dream home, but if there are problems hiding beneath the surface, it can make the next few years quite difficult for you. It would also mean spending a lot of unnecessary money in order to get the house fixed up. This is why it is quite important to inspect your home and check things out before you close the final deal. This is also a chance for you to negotiate the price in case anything is wrong with the foundation of the house. Here are some things that you should get checked before buying a house.
See if there is fresh paint
More often than not, fresh paint might just indicate some hidden problems that the owners do not want you to see. A bad paint job or a house that was painted ten years ago is fine. That is something that can always be fixed. But if there is fresh sheetrock in the cellar, it might mean something more. You can always ask why the work was done and see if their answer fits or not. They might be hiding termites, damage, or something more.
Check the floors
If you find any dripping near the floor or walls or some dipping near the bathroom area, you might have some undetected leakage in the house. You also need to look out for any seepage or wetness that you might see. It is best to ask a plumber to come and assess the damage done. You should make sure that the seepage has not reached the foundation otherwise it would be too tough to fix the damage. If there is some sagging in other portions of the house, it means that the structure needs to be fixed up.
Test the windows
Do you want to have a huge heating bill piling up during the winters? This is why you should check the windows for any drafts. Also, make sure that they lock properly and are sturdy enough. You can open and close them a few times to check their quality. Most times, people often replace their windows with lower quality ones when they want to sell off in a hurry. If you will need to replace all of the windows down the line, and it will cost you quite a lot.
Check the roof
One major thing that you need to do is check how sturdy the roof is. Ask when it was installed and see the warranty so that you can back the data up. A lot of old homes have quite a few layers of roofing, which means that one of them could even have asbestos. Also, make sure to check the shingles and see if the roof is leaky or rusted. The best thing to do is get it inspected professionally.
It is important to know what is coming along with the house that you are buying. Make sure that you know what you are getting into.
Also Read: 6 Ways To Protect Your Home From Damage
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