Real Estate experts often insist that you carry out a home inspection before you buy a house? It’s largely because when carried out thoroughly, they prevent you from making costly mistakes and decisions you’re bound to regret later.
Carrying out a home inspection doesn`t necessarily help you to identify all the red flags, you can still end up making mistakes. This usually happens when some things slip past you during the inspection. Sadly, many people end up missing the warning signs. To help you carry out a more detailed home inspection, below are some red flags you should be on the lookout for.
- Insects and Pests That Wreck Wood
This is one of the most overlooked aspects of a home inspection. This explains why a growing number of people don’t actively look out for it during a home inspection. It’s okay to appreciate the architecture of a home you’re planning to buy, you should not be carried away by aesthetics alone. Insects and wood-eating pests can weaken the core of a house over a long period of time. This leaves the house unsafe. The biggest threat to homes are termites, carpenter ants and boring ants. These culprits can eat away the long-term value of a house, which is why you must be proactive in looking out for them at the home inspection stage.
As an organism, rot fungus also constitutes a red flag. It is also known as the wood-decay fungus – This covers any species of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. It’s important to work with a real estate agent who has experience in looking out for these insects and organisms during a home inspection. On your part, you should dedicate some time to find out the things that attract these pests. In some cases, you might not see the pests but spot the signs of an existing infestation.
For termites, you should be on the lookout for piles of termite frass and termite shelter tubes in or around the home. You should also keep an eye out for sagging floors and hollow wood.
- Water Problems
Does the idea of living in a house on the water appeal to you? It should except you are hydrophobic. However, having loose water in your house can be a recipe for disaster. As bad as this might sound, it is even worse in a situation where the water is unseen. The danger of having water in your house is that it ends up wrecking havoc. Most often than not, by the time you witness the physical damage, it is already too late. This is why it is important to check for any signs of water intrusion into the house. Ensure that the real estate agent you are working with has a good eye for spotting signs of water intrusion in a house. He/she should ideally know where to look during the inspection. If there have been previous signs of water entry into the home, this should be spotted during a home inspection. If a house is prone to flooding because of its location, this is something you want to know. Nigeria has witnessed several cases of flood destroying property and valuables, double check to be sure you are save, it is better to wait than to have trouble with you new home.
- Faulty or Old Wiring
While you’re probably not an electrician, make sure all the switches and outlets in the house function properly. Flickering lights, circuits that don’t work and warm or hot outlets or faceplates are all symptoms of wiring problems. Look out for old home wiring, and make sure it is fix.
4. Fresh Paint on One Wall
New paint can really spruce up drab walls, but it can also hide bigger problems, like water damage, mildew or mold. If the room smells strange or if you see stains or saggy walls or ceilings, have an inspector look for mold and leaks.
5. Finding a good home inspector
Most buyers don’t think about how the neighborhood will impact the resale value of the home, since they don’t own the property yet. Buying a home in a neighborhood that is decreasing can create problems in the future, not necessarily in the immediate future.
Before you buy a house, insist on carrying out a thorough home inspection. If the property owner refuses to allow this or appears reluctant to honour this request, that alone should be considered a red flag.
It should never be done in a hurry. You are entitled to a reasonable amount of time to inspect the property before you make a decision. Inspecting a property does not mean you have to buy it. After the inspection, you can decide whether you are buying or have concerns.
