5 Things to Look for when Buying a New Home
1. Moisture in the basement
Look for puddles of water around drains in an unfinished basement, wet spots in the corners or dark areas on the walls. My house had this problem when it was first built and it was not easily gotten rid of.
We ended up spending a couple thousand dollars to have the basement sealed and a drainage system set up between the walls and floors before we could store things in it. It is a problem that can be fixed, but you must consider the price in whether it is worth the repair.
2. Environmental Hazards (Radon, Water contamination, Asbestos, Lead Paint, Underground Storage Tanks)
These are biggies. If you have small children who put things in their mouths, these are huge issues to consider when buying a home. Some are easily fixed: replacing an appliance that uses radon with a newer one or scraping lead paint and using non-lead based paint before moving in). Others are a bit trickier. Getting rid of asbestos can be a costly and dangerous job and not always a guaranteed success. Likewise, replacing an underground storage tank with an above ground tank will be costly.
Perhaps the biggest problem in this category is water contamination, which is mostly a municipal issue, and would not be fixable by you and your family. Seriously reconsider buying a home that currently has water contamination problems.
3. Insect infestation (Termites, ants, etc.)
Everyone knows the dreaded termites in the basement/foundation story. You don’t see them when you first inspect the house. A year later, your foundation is crumbling and your house is worthless. Termites are hard to detect in most houses so make sure you get a qualified terminator to inspect your possible real estate before purchasing it.
Ants are easier to detect, but who knows if they’re easier to get rid of. I’ve had a problem with ants since last summer. Something smelled good in my kitchen and they’ve been here ever since with a short pause for winter. I’ve had an exterminator spray all over my home, and have set out numerous ant traps, but the only thing that has proved effective so far is a clear, sticky, sweet concoction called Terro. Honest, it’s the only thing that’s ever killed those little buggers and if your new home has an ant problem, this product is the only one I would recommend.
4. Problematic Heating and Cooling
It could depend on the part of country you live in and the type of person you are as to whether this is a big problem or a small one. If you live in one of the hotter states and air conditioning is a must, then this is a big problem.
A new air conditioning compressor could cost a couple thousand to repair, and the same goes for a faulty heating system. If your house has other heating and cooling methods then this could be a doable repair expense in your purchase. For example, if your house is energy-efficient, with shades on the windows, set under trees, have ceiling fans, etc. then it may not get very hot in the summer.
Or if your house is very well insulated, has fireplaces, double-paned glass windows, etc. you may not be reaching for your thermostat very often in the winter anyways. But if having the nicety of central heat and air is important to you, reconsider buying property that has this problem if you don’t want the costly repairs (especially if you’re moving in during the summer or winter months!).
5. Damaged Roofing
The roof over your head is a key element in a home. If that roof leaks, you could be in for a miserable time. Make sure you look at the ceilings of your possible home for water damage or dark areas. Also check the walls, as there is sometimes leaking between the seal where the roof and the walls meet. Check out the house’s attic if it has one, because the owner of the property could have recently painted the ceilings or replaced ceiling tiles and the water damage may not be apparent.
Once outside the property, check for missing shingles or tiles on the roof. Ask the owner when the roof was last replaced. A roofing job is very expensive and may not be in your budget, so it is very important to determine when your new property will incur this expense.
Those are some basics things to look at/ask about when looking for a new home. Also, just use common sense, if something doesn’t look right in the property, ask the owner about it. Or ask your real estate agent. But the best bet is to arrange a home inspector to fully go over the property before signing on any dotted line.
A qualified inspection can range from $200-$500 but is very worth it considering the thousands of dollars he/she can bring to your attention in repairs before buying the home. Make sure you get someone qualified. Check your yellow pages for an inspector from the American Society of Home Inspectors or the American Association of Home Inspectors. And when they inspect the new home, BE THERE! That’s very important; you can’t always trust the owner or your real estate agent to give you the damage report in black and white. You have to hear it and make your own decision about the home.
Good luck and happy home-hunting!
