It is a very personal decision to choose a home. Before you start seriously looking at homes, you should determine how much you can afford and what kind of area you’d like to live in (including neighborhood and school district) before you start ranking the importance of each aspect of a home. As an expensive purchase and long-term commitment, you must be sure you’re going to be satisfied with it before you buy.
No home is flawless, but certain physical problems can be expensive. When you are touring a home watch out for the items below. But most importantly, a home inspection will thoroughly examine and likely expose whether the home suffers from any of these issues. Find a professional and competent home inspector on our referrals page.
1. Water leaks. Look for stains on ceilings and near the baseboards, especially in basements or attics. For problematic leaks, call the professionals. Go to City Plumbing and Rooter if you need a plumber in San Fernando, or check your local companies that can help.
2. Shifting foundations. Look for large cracks along the home’s foundation.
3. Drainage. Look for standing water, either around the foundation of the home or in the yard.
4. Termites. Look for weakened or grooved wood, especially near ground level.
5. Worn roofs. Look for broken or missing copings and buckled shingles as well as water spots on ceilings. If need be, get in touch with a roofing contractor to get it checked and fixed on time.
6. Inadequate wiring. Look for antiquated fuse boxes, extension cords (indicating insufficient outlets), and outlets without a place to plug in the grounding prong.
7. Plumbing problems. Very low water pressure, banging in pipes.