No matter how beautiful a home might be, it can have problems hiding from plain view. If you’re looking for a great home, you certainly want a gorgeous property in a great location, and one without any real problems. Trouble is, many homes do have problems, though most of which are not severe and/or too costly. This is why real estate purchase offers include contingency clauses, because, there are a number of common problems.

When you are ready to purchase a home, searching for the right property can be exhausting. It can easily take weeks to find a few to put at the top of your list, and, you’ll see many more that just don’t capture your interest. It’s during this time you begin to focus more and more on details, simply because you’ve seen so many, you want to remember specifics in order to make the best decision.

What a Home Inspection Will and Won’t Tell You

When you get a home inspection, what you ought to expect is to learn about certain things, but, not necessarily everything. Contrary to what most people believe, home inspectors aren’t experts in different fields, but are what’s known as “expert generalists,” which means they are trained and experienced to be a sort of jack-of-all-trades. A home inspector, in general, will look over all major appliances and systems, which include the HVAC system, water heater, as well as electrical wiring and plumbing.

“Buying a house is serious business. Whether a recently built estate or a modest fixer-upper, getting the lowdown on your potential home is of tantamount importance. A qualified home inspector is always your best bet for a thorough home evaluation, but it’s a good idea to have a general understanding of what to look out for.” —HGTV

A home inspector will also test just about everything in the home, which includes lights, faucets, doors, and windows. Furthermore, he will also look for signs of foundation problems, as well as wit the roof. What a home inspector doesn’t do is actually inspect the foundation, roof, and search for pests. Though, if there are signs of pests, will likely alert you to that fact and suggest you have a pest inspection done.

Homebuyers should Look for these Common Problems

When you find a home that you really love and want to submit a purchase offer to the seller, you should know that there are common problems. Some are relatively minor, but still worth noting. Here are some things you ought to be looking for before you submit a purchase offer:

• The roof. This is one of the very most important parts of a home, and, one that can cause the most damage if in a state of disrepair. If you learn the roof is in the last years of it’s life, you might offer less because sellers aren’t likely to take on a big expense for future problems.
• Old appliances. Appliances are built to last, but will eventually break down and need to be replaced. Some sellers opt to upgrade to new, but not top-of-the-line appliances in order to make the home more attractive. If the appliances are old, consider purchasing the home and selling them, then buying new appliances.
• Cooling and heating systems. Like the roof, these are very expensive to replace, but, if in good working condition, that’s a good sign the homeowner takes care of the rest of the house.
• Environmental issues. Depending on the age of the home, you as the buyer might or might not be protected from things like radon, lead paint, and asbestos. It’s a good idea to learn if any of these exist in the home.
• Poor ventilation. When ventilation in poor, energy use will be higher, and, it promotes the growth of mold. If it does have inadequate ventilation, you can speak with a contractor about adding fans in strategic locations to improve airflow.
• Electrical wiring and plumbing. These are both quite expensive to replace, and, both are of course, very important. Problems with the electrical wiring means at the very least, a fire hazard, while plumbing problems only worse over time.
• Worn insulation. Though insulation is designed to last years, it does wear out. Worn insulation, as you know, is an energy waster, and, is paramount to keeping a home comfortable during the winter.

Another common set of problems are with doors, windows, and handrails. Doors and windows can be outdated, meaning they waste energy; while handrails can loosen over time, making them a safety hazard.