Inspections You May Want To Get When Buying An Older Home
When you buy a house, you obtain a valuable piece of property along with a mortgage that you will likely have to pay on for the next 30 years. If you want to be very cautious about this to make sure the house you buy is in excellent condition, you may want to get several different types of inspections on the house. This may be important for newer homes, but it is extra important for homes that are older. Here are some of the inspections you may want to consider getting to ensure that the home will not need a lot of expensive repairs in the near future.
General home inspection
It's often a good idea to start with a general home inspection, which costs around $318 on average. During a general home inspection, an inspector will look at all the important factors and details of the house. The purpose is to determine the condition of each area or system. This will include inspecting the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. It will also include looking for signs of water damage and pest infestation.
The report you will receive when the inspection is complete will tell you the details of each of these things and any other areas or systems inspected. From there, you may want to hire other types of inspectors to examine certain parts of the home more thoroughly. This is generally only needed if the general inspection came back with some questions or issues on certain parts of the home.
Other types of inspections
There are many other types of inspections you can have completed on a house you are trying to buy, and here are some of the more common types:
- Chimney – A chimney should be inspected every year simply to make sure it is clean and safe to use. If the house has a chimney, you should have it inspected before you buy the house or use the fireplace.
- Electrical system – If the inspection revealed that there might be problems with the electrical system in the home, have it inspected. The inspection might reveal that the electricity to the house is not sufficient for your needs, or you might find that certain parts of the system are not safe to use.
- Pests – It's always a good idea to have a termite inspection completed before buying a house, and some lenders actually require this type of inspection before closing on a house.
- Septic – A lot of lenders also require septic inspections before home closings. These are done simply to make sure the systems are working properly and that the tanks are not full.
Getting inspections completed is a great way to protect your investment when buying a house. To learn more about these, contact a real estate agent today.
