When buying a home, there’s a lot to take into consideration. You have to factor in location, square footage, accessibility, and more. And once you find the house you’ve been looking for and submit an offer, the list of things to consider continues to grow…it doesn’t take long for the costs of all the needed precautions, preparations, and transactions to start adding up. ac-8-12-22-P.jpgSince many of the closing costs are unavoidable, It may be tempting to try and save money and time by opting out of a home inspection. But this service, typically priced at a few hundred dollars, is well worth the time and money considering the expense and headache it can save you in the long run. 

Home inspection reports can bring to light some critical, need-to-know information. Not only is there a chance that your seller failed to disclose certain facts about the state of your potential new property, but it can also give you a more detailed estimate of how much money you’ll need to set aside for repairs. Home inspections can also alert you to any issues that may present an immediate threat to your safety.

In some cases, homeowners don’t pay enough attention to (or sometimes even outright disobey) the laws and regulations regarding home construction, additions, and/or installations. Whether they simply neglected to acquire a building permit, or they failed to meet the safety code, these issues will become yours to fix upon the purchase of your new home. It will no longer be up to the seller to fix. Catching it before the transaction is complete gives you the opportunity to discuss the issue with the seller and/or a real estate agent. 

If issues like any of the above are present, you may be able to use them as leverage during the negotiation process. At the very least, you may be able to get the seller to cover part of the repair costs. Ideally, though, they would go to the effort to have it fixed for you before they sell. 

Home inspectors can also offer estimates of the ages of various home installations, repairs, and fixtures. Everything in your home needs to be replaced eventually. Professional home inspection experts know how often things need to be replaced or removed. Knowing how old they are relative to how long they last tell you roughly how long you’ll have after buying the home before you have to face these additional costs, too. 

What will the home inspector look for?

So what kinds of things do you need to look out for in your new home? Here are just a few of the things that the inspector will be checking for:

1. A poorly maintained roof

The roof is, obviously, one of the most important parts of any structure. It prevents the outside from coming in. If there are issues with the roofing, it may need immediate repair. No one wants to hear that the roof on their new home needs repair or replacement, as the cost can be substantial. However, ignoring the issue can lead to additional damage to the home, or in extreme cases even a roof collapse. 

2. Improper Grading/ Risk of Flood

It’s standard that the ground around any home should slant at a rate of one inch per foot in a way that directs water and rainfall away from any and all structures on the property. Otherwise, heavy rainfall may cause excess water to leak into and/or flood your basement and maybe even the main floor of your home. The inspector will also look at the ground around the foundation of your home to check for loose or spongy soil that can lead to new or worsening cracks in the foundation.

3. Hidden Mold Infestations

One last example of the things it’s important for an inspector to check is potential mold infestations. Mold can grow in almost any climate, but those in a warm, humid environment are at a higher risk of infestation. Mold spots on the walls and ceiling can be hard to spot, but that’s not the worst of it.

By the time mold spots start to appear on the visible side of the walls, there’s almost always a severe infestation inside them already. Since mold prefers darker places, moisture or water vapor that gets in through the cracks in the walls creates the perfect breeding ground. Once an infestation starts, it needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. The longer it’s left unaddressed, the harder it will be to eliminate. 

AdvantaClean

If you find your dream home but the inspection reveals a mold infestation, don’t let it turn you away. There are many pros and cons of buying a house, but don’t let the looming dread of a potential mold infestation be one of them. ac-8-12-22-S.jpgAll you have to do is call in a team of mold remediation experts at AdvantaClean. AdvantaClean has been in the business of mold removal for years, and they know what it takes to get the job done right the first time. We can also give you several useful tips and tricks on how to minimize the chances of future infestations.  Our goal is to bring peace of mind to every home buyer. 

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