Skeletons in the Closet – Potential Problems That a Home Inspector Does Not Check For

Posted on July 19, 2009 - Filed Under Real Estate |

While a home inspector is a good idea for making sure your prospective home is structurally stable and sound, there are some things that he doesn't examine that might be a source of extra expense or annoyance later. Many of these ideas only take a couple minutes, but they could mean the difference between your dream home and one out of which you can't wait to move.

A home inspector will check the windows to make sure they are installed correctly and in no danger of cracking, but they don't usually check for poorly insulated windows. When you are walking around a potential house, put your hands next to the window seams and see if you can feel a draft. Poorly insulated windows and insufficient insulation throughout the house are a major energy drain and will cause your electric bills to be significantly higher. Adding insulation and replacing old windows can be a costly renovation. At the very least, drafty windows could be a bargaining chip for a better price on the house you are interested in.

Another question you should ask is how old the appliances are. HVAC units and water heaters are not usually the first items that come to mind when someone mentions appliances, but which is harder to live without: your dishwasher or your water heater? If, for example, the typical air conditioning unit lasts for twenty years and the house you're looking at has an eighteen year old unit, it would be nice to know you might be responsible for replacing it a couple years after you move into the house. A home inspector will check to ensure that these items are working properly, but he might not mention how old they are.

Checking the crime rate in an area by calling the local police station is rarely something people think to do, but may make a huge difference in the length of time they live in an locale. Is there a lot of suspicious activity reported in the neighborhood you are considering? What about domestic disturbances that might translate into noisy or disruptive neighbors? Have there been many thefts in the area? While a higher crime area isn't necessarily a problem, it may require extra expenditures, such as alarm systems, locks, or lights that you will have to factor into your budget.

Take a moment to step into the backyard of your potential house and look around at your neighbors' yards. Do they have dogs that might get into your yard or disturb you by barking? Are their yards clean and maintained or will weeds from their yard blow into yours? Are there any large trees or bushes that overhang into your yard or look like might fall into your yard? Do they have children whose toys might migrate into your yard? Is the fence in need of repairs? While these may or may not be problems that concern you, it is worth taking the time to check for little annoyances that might be major headaches to you later.

By taking the time to fully examine a potential house and surrounding area, you can guarantee that you will be happy with the house you decide upon. Hiring a home inspector to check that a house is safe and has no major issues is a great idea. However it is good to keep in mind that there are some things he doesn't test that might make a huge difference to you in deciding on a particular house.

About the Author: Louise Scoggins is a leading Realtor in the Alpharetta real estate market. For more information on Alpharetta Foreclosures, please visit www.ThinkLouise.com

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