Most buyers know that a home inspection is an absolute necessity to make sure a house is sound and potential problems with the house can be known before they move forward. As a Realtor I am not licensed or qualified to perform these inspections or tests. Although, I do take it upon myself to look for possible issues with a home and point them out to buyers and their home inspectors. I have put together a 4 Part Blog to help buyers learn some key issues to look for. Please remember this list is not comprehensive. I welcome comments from any one, especially other Realtors or home inspectors. Maybe some of you savvy buyers would like to comment. If you would like to add to this list please do.
1. Take a walk around the property looking at not only the foundation but how the property is graded. Do you see any cracks or cover ups in the foundation? If the house is brick do you see any cracking in the brick or mortar? Look closely near window corners and above garage doors. Do you see cracks? Is there any wood from the house in contact with the ground? Wood in contact with the ground is a termite attractant. This is not a good thing. It will need to be remedied quickly. Does the grade of the property around the home drive water away from the foundation? Water is the main culprit in the deterioration of a foundation. Proper grading and down spout systems will keep the foundation dry and eliminate deterioration. Sometimes down spout extensions or catches are necessary to help move the water from the gutters and down spouts farther away from the house. Pooling of water below a down spout (generally at the corners of a foundation) over time can lead to failure of a foundation in those areas. Here is a helpful link.
2. Next, as you are walking around the house look at the roof and gutters. Are the roof tiles in good shape? Do you see any curling on the tiles, especially on the ends? Curling generally means the roof has seen better days and it's usable life is near it's end and it may need to be replaced. As for the gutters. They are very important in how they are installed. Above I spoke about their down spouts. Are the gutters attached to the house correctly? You should see that the gutters are right up against the house. If you stand under them you should see no light between the house and the gutter.Looking For Problems With Your Roof
Tune in next time for Part 2.contact me: briantsmith@realtracs.com or 615.975.0578
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A Realtor with integrity that does it right the first time. I am NOT a salesman. I provide a service. So if you don't want high pressure and someone just looking to make a sale, call me.
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