19 Feb 4 Tests You Need to Perform before Buying a New House
It’s easy to fall in love with a house that looks so beautiful that you can’t resist buying it. Most people momentarily start planning where they would place their furniture when the dream house appears. But, before you actually plan your housewarming party, there are a couple of things you need to check first – not every real estate agent tells the truth, you know. Therefore, it’s necessary to take initiative before you even think about handing over your money. Check out our guidelines about what you should use during your inspection – they might be very helpful, especially if you have no previous experience in this area.
Installations Check
Even though your dream house looks perfectly clean and recently built, that may not be the actual truth. In fact, that’s not true in most cases. There’s a prep process that real estate agents usually conduct before they start showing the house – it’s all about small renovations which require small investments, and which can turn an old, rusty house into an amazing place. That’s why you, as a buyer, need to dig deeper and find out what’s inside those walls, find out whether there is any rusty pipes or old wires, because that’s what you’re really interested in, not that pretty interior. The best way to do this is to hire a professional and ask your agent if it would be ok to set up a meeting. If “their policy doesn’t allow it”, you’ll know something is wrong.
Pest Inspection
You don’t want to deal with this kind of enemy in your new home, for sure. Problems with pests can turn into your worst nightmare because it takes time to get rid of them, a lot of effort and a pile of money. Again, hiring a professional will protect you from the future with nasty cockroaches or wood-eating termites, which are both capable of bringing you a bit closer to bankruptcy. Think about your money in advance, so you don’t end up broke in the end.
Mold Inspection
This problem can be really serious because it can affect your family’s health. Mold isn’t just something that looks ugly on your walls, it also pollutes your air. This too, like everything mentioned before, is easy for an agent to cover up and pretend like it’s not there at all. Consulting a pro who has a lot of experience with mold is a precaution you need to take. During the house tour, you should inspect every single corner in the kitchen, bathroom, attic, basement and cold storage rooms and look for some spots and wall stains. It’s important to feel free when it comes to asking for more information from your agent – it’s what they are supposed to do.
Check the Previous Owners
You should insist on getting in touch with the previous owners. Obviously, you need to find out why they are selling the house in the first place. Maybe they just want something bigger, perhaps they are moving to another country, but there’s always that pinch of doubt that they might be selling it because there’s something wrong with the house. Besides that, you should also try to find out as much as possible from them, like is there a proper isolation installed (this is one crucial question if you live in a place where you know you can expect a really cold winter). You’ll also want to ask a couple of things about your potential neighbors, or even better – try to make the first contact with them while you’re in the neighborhood. My advice is to make a list of questions, so you don’t forget anything when you meet them.
Make sure you’ve investigated all these things before signing a contract. No one should be rushing you into anything, so you should take your time and reconsider everything when you need to. Also, try not falling in love with the first house you see, since you could easily regret that decision. There are many houses that can be turned into a beautiful home your family can enjoy for a lot of years to come, so take things slow. Buying a house should be treated like if it were an investment – and it’s known how essential it is to do your homework in order to make a smart move. Good luck.
