Buying a home is a significant financial investment. A well thought-out property inspection checklist might be ideal to help you to avoid making possible mistakes. Every homeowner will present the property as having the best features, having no flaws whatsoever. In this view, the property’s positive characteristics are more likely to be marked, while the flaws are disguised.
Thus, you need to consider inspecting the place correspondingly. If you acknowledge some flaws that come with the property, you may use that in your favour, for lowering the asking price of the property. Still, if the negative features are major, the best thing you can do is move on with your search and eliminate that particular property from your list.
Analyse the contract of sale thoroughly
For starters, you need to consider getting acquainted with the basic information that the contract of sale incorporates, including regular costs, rates or strata levies. While these expenses cannot be restricted or altered, they need to be taken into account in establishing your budget.
Other information regarding fixtures and fittings should also be included in the contract of sale. In this view, home appliances such as the stove or air conditioning should be thoroughly checked to notice whether they function perfectly or not.
Equally important is checking the reliability of the security system of the property. Alarms, deadlocks and window locks – they can contribute to decreasing the contents’ insurance. Examine the property’s security functions to establish whether they work or not.
Pay attention to damp or plumbing problems
As you analyse the property, you should also pay attention to damp or plumbing problems, as they are incredibly common. As such, our advice is to pay attention to signs including bubbly wall paint, or signs of mould in the corners of the rooms, in particular. While these problems might be fixed, for persons dealing with allergies, they can create an overall unhealthy living environment, especially for growing families with children.
Additionally, do check the taps in the kitchen, all bathrooms and laundry. You don’t want to deal with low water pressure, as that can be utterly frustrating. If you notice a peculiar vibrating sound in the pipes, that might pinpoint the presence of trapped air. Still, that is a fixable problem.
Don’t overlook the importance of having a professional inspection
While all the enumerated practical pieces of advice are important factors you should take into account, asking for a professional’s opinion is something you shouldn’t overlook. This investment is major, and you should make your decision only if you’re sure that the house meets your family’s safety and comfort requirements.
A professional expectation will aid you to obtain an equally more objective and critical second opinion that will help you make a wiser decision. Equally important is considering a professional pest and building inspection. A wide range of modern houses may present masked flaws in the most inaccessible locations including footings and roof cavities. These are hidden places that can hold serious problems that are often overlooked because they are increasingly more difficult to access.