How a Home Inspection Checklist Helps Real Estate Buyers and Sellers

RISMEDIA, Feb. 13, 2008-For many years prospective home buyers had little choice in what homes to pick to purchase. It seems like all the best homes disappeared from the market within days for the listing price or in many cases tens of thousands of dollars more than the listing price.

Today’s real estate market is a very different place than just a year or two ago. Today home buyers have a selection of homes to pick from at prices not seen in quite a few years.

It is very unfortunate many of the homes being sold today are being sold by sellers who bought more house than they could afford. Needless to say if a home owner is struggling to pay their credit card bills (most minimum payments have doubled from 2% of the total balance per month to 4% of the total balance per month) at the same time monthly mortgage payments have been going up as interest rates are rising.

Thus although home prices may be dropping home inspectors are finding many more homes less maintained than they were in the past. Home buyers are cautioned to keep this in mind when searching for a home.

Many shows on TV show how easy it is or was to purchase a home, make a few quick and cheap cosmetic improvements and to sell it for a profit. It is very unfortunate many who have tried to do this (especially lately) have not done it well at all and are now trying to pass their misfortune onto unwary home buyers.

Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Licensed Home Inspector GI121 and owner of Accurate Inspections, Inc., a West Paterson NJ based home inspector cautions buyers to be very careful when selecting a home inspector. Many home inspectors have spent less than a total of month in the classroom and in the field prior to being granted home inspector licenses and starting their own business. Many of the inspectors and businesses may fail leaving the new home owner with the repair bills.

Just like any other industry there are good home inspectors and bad ones. Del Greco cautions home buyers to seek out referrals from friends, relatives and their attorney in order to select a qualified and experienced home inspector. Those sources are free from all conflicts of interest and are more likely to provide referrals to home inspectors who can be candid about what they find wrong with the home and to provide repair suggestions.

Home buyers are advised to make sure they check all of the following items carefully. If any of these problems after the purchase of the home the problems come with the home and they are now the YOURS (without costly litigation).

Those who wish to know what they should expect a home inspector to do during a home inspection can refer to some of these elements:

EXTERIOR

Check the operation of the windows and screens?
Has water been stopped from accumulating near the building?
Check doors, decks, siding, windows & fences for damage / deterioration?
Are there any signs of water infiltration from the roof, siding or windows?
Are there any signs of gutter or downspout problems?
Are the downspouts discharging water away from the foundation?
Has the soil around the home been pitched away from the foundation?

INTERIOR

Have all the areas listed in the home inspection report as inaccessible or not traversed been accessed & professionally inspected to determine if defects exist?
Do the garage doors and their openers function?
Were the reversing devices for the garage door openers tested?
Did you find out why any stains or cracks on any of the walls or ceilings that have become larger or have appeared since the time of the home inspection?
Have all cracked windows or mirrors been repaired?
Have all the clouded double pane windows been replaced?
Are all the permanently installed fixtures or appliances been in place and in good condition?
Are there any signs of birds, rodents or animals?
Has any damage to damage to the walls, floor or ceilings been repaired?

PLUMBING

Do the plumbing fixture faucets leak or drip?
Are the plumbing fixtures chipped or damaged?
Was water for a time through all plumbing fixtures and check for leakage?
Was water for a time through all plumbing fixtures and check for stoppage?

ELECTRICAL

Are all the light fixtures are all in place?
Do the light fixtures, switches and receptacles all function?
Does the door bell work?

HEATING AND COOLING

Do the thermostat, heating and cooling systems function?
Is there adequate air flow through the heating and cooling registers?
Did all the radiators or convectors get warm in a reasonable amount of time?

KITCHEN

Do all the appliances function properly?
Are the counter tops or cabinets damaged?
Do the cabinets and drawers operate?

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