Search for these things to identify a problematic home

Before purchasing a home, every San Antonio home buyer should contract a home inspector to perform a thorough review of their real estate purchase. However, home inspections do not come cheap, so prospective buyers might want to do a cursory review of the home themselves. In some cases, home buyers can rule out a prospective purchase without the need for a professional inspection.

Here are nine things to inspect while carrying out a do-it-yourself inspection:

• Look for signs of leaks in the attic and make sure the insulation is adequate.
• Evidence of leaks: Check all the ceilings and walls for signs of water damage and leaks.
• Is the basement damp or does it smell bad? Shine a flashlight in ground level crawlspaces or leave that task to the pros.
• Check all the electrical fixtures, switches and outlets. Make sure all the outlets are grounded.
• Look at the faucets, showers, bathtubs, drains and toilets. Make sure everything drains quickly, there aren’t any leaks and there is adequate water pressure throughout the home.
• Let the heating and air conditioning run for some time. Make sure that they heat and cool effectively.
• Look at the ceilings and bases of the walls in every room in addition to the exterior. Are there cracks, unevenness, water leaks, trees growing into the foundation or other visible problems?
• Makes sure the ground has sufficient drainage away from the home. Do you see anything that looks soggy or appears like it could flood?
• Find out when the roof was last replaced. Make sure it doesn’t look damaged, there are no missing tiles and everything looks in good repair.
• Do the walls need repainting or repairs? Do the gutters appear to be in good repair? Do you notice any falling wires or loose paneling? Does the home have any asbestos in it that will need special treatment when repaired?

This is just a basic list of things to check before buying a home. There are many more thing to keep track of during real estate transaction, so home buyers will want to make sure they are fully prepared for all the business and legal aspects of a real estate deal.