Hidden Home Defects to Watch For

No home is flawless, but certain physical problems can be expensive. Watch for:

  • Water leaks. Look for stains on ceilings and near the baseboards, especially in basements or attics.
  • Shifting foundations. Look for large cracks along the home’s foundation.
  • Drainage. Look for standing water, either around the foundation of the home of in the yard.
  • Termites. Look for weakened or grooved wood, especially near ground level.
  • Worn roofs. Look for broken or missing copings and buckled shingles as well as water spots on ceilings.
  • Inadequate wiring. Look for antiquated fuse boxes, extension cords (indicating insufficient outlets), and outlets without a place to plug in the grounding prong.
  • Plumbing problems: Very low water pressure, banging in pipes

Ten Questions to Ask A Home Inspector

  1. What are your qualifications? Are you a member of the American Association of Home Inspectors?
  2. Do you have a current license? Inspectors are not required to be licensed in every state.
  3. How many inspections of properties such as this do you do each year?
  4. Do you have a list of past clients I can contact?
  5. Do you carry professional errors and omission insurance? May I have a copy of the policy?
  6. Do you provide any guarantees of your work?
  7. What specifically will the inspection cover?
  8. What type of report will I receive after the inspection?
  9. How long will the inspection take and how long will it take to receive the report?
  10. How much will the inspection cost?

Portions adapted from Real Estate Checklists and Systems and used with permission. (www.realestatechecklists.com)

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright / All rights reserved.

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If you are a buyer, please submit your "wish list" of must-haves. We will calendar an intake call.

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If you are a Housing Choice or subsidized housing participant, please enter your expected move in date, your Housing Authority, your voucher size, the voucher expiration date, TTP or S8/Rent Burden figures. I will then send you a list of available rental properties, photos and qualifications. Upon receipt of your selections, I will coordinate showing dates/times.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the overwhelming demand for rentals, we can not hold a home without a refundable good faith deposit. I am a Realtor® not a scam artist. I will not lose my license over your refundable good faith deposit. Once you are approved, I bring the deposit to your move-in and perform a walk-through with the owner/agent. If you are denied, we can apply your deposit to your next choice OR holding Broker will refund it. If you do not want to secure your deal, I can not help you. No one is holding homes in this HOT marketplace with just your voucher. Trust me. Not happening. I am getting several offers overnight on listings.

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