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GAZETTE Newspapers
By: Arthur S. Lazerow
Title:
Becoming an Amateur Home Inspector
Question: Arthur G. of Cabin
John emailed: “In April you gave a reader advice about home
inspector licensing. I will not need an inspector until I find
a home. My question is about before the contract is signed. I
am getting ready to search for my first home and I am wondering
what I should look for as I walk around the homes my Realtor and
I visit? Can you give me advice on this?”
Answer: Arthur: Since I have never met an Arthur I did not
like, I could not resist your question, which is a show
stopper. Homebuyers tend to see the forest and forget to look
at the trees. Said another way, it’s too easy to react to the
sizzle and not the steak.
Start from the proposition that your view of the home should not
replace the need for a thorough home inspection after contract
acceptance. Your home inspector will see the home from a
realistic viewpoint without the fog of emotion and will get into
areas that are not safe for the homebuyer, such as taking the
electric panel box cover off to inspect its interior condition
and wiring.
Your Realtor will help you define the appropriate geographic
locations, house type and price ranges of homes for you. For
instance, if you are single and dread the thought of
maintenance, a condominium may be your choice, as compared to a
family with children looking for a kids-friendly neighborhood
and quality schools. Once you begin to visit homes, trust your
gut reaction to each home. Ask yourself: “Do the floor plan
and features of this home satisfy my life-style needs?”
When the answer to that question is a solid yes, then become the
amateur home inspector and make a really thorough walk through
of the home. That may happen on your second or even third visit
back to that particular property just before you and your
Realtor sit down to write the offer. Do not look into the attic
unless there is a pull down stair or permanent staircase. Do
not look into any crawlspace and do not attempt to disassemble
the electric panel box cover or any other electrical access
covers. Do not turn on valves, switches or electric breakers
that are in the off position.
Here is a mental checklist for an informal inspection.
1.
Walk around the
outside, looking at the condition of the exterior skin of the
home, its roof and general appearance. While outside, look for
areas of improper surface grading or drainage, or any other
deficiency, which may lead to water infiltration into the home.
If you do not like the outside appearance, you are not going to
love the house.
2.
Inside, operate either
the heating or air conditioning system, depending what is season
appropriate.
3.
Ask yourself whether
the home appears to suffer from poor overall maintenance. Even
the novice home buyer is usually aware of this situation,
demonstrated by such signs as cracked, peeling or dirty painted
surfaces, crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, aged
mechanical systems or appliances, and broken fixtures or
appliances. Look at the serial numbers listed on data plates.
The first four numbers often show the date of manufacture; for
instance, 0902 would indicate September 2002.
4.
Ask yourself what
tender-loving-care this house will need after settlement to
satisfy your needs. Is more than paint and carpet required to
resurrect the condition of this home? And how much will this
all cost?
The above list is not long, but by looking specifically at the
exterior and then the interior of the home, making a
determination whether the current owner has been responsible in
its maintenance and whether the expensive mechanical systems are
serviceable, your decision to buy or pass will be made easier.
IMPORTANT RECALL NOTICE: in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer
Products Safety Commission, Maytag and Jenn-Air have recalled
over two million dishwashers that may be fire hazards. This
recall results from reports of 135 dishwasher fires. Research
into the cause of these fires found that the liquid rinse-aid
can leak from the dispenser and contact the dishwasher’s wiring,
causing an electrical short-circuit and igniting, posing a fire
hazard.
These are under-counter and portable plastic tub dishwashers
manufactured by Maytag, sold between July 1997 and June 2001.
Maytag model numbers start with MD (Nos. B3-9, D, C3-5 and
DWU9). Jenn-air model numbers start with JDB 3-7. If your home
has a Maytag or Jenn-Air dishwasher, please visit the Maytag
website at maytag.com.
Have a question relating to a housing or environmental issue?
To contact Mr. Lazerow, click on “Contact Us” at
Albaninspect.com. Mention “Gazette Newspapers” in your
question. Every question will be answered and some will be
included in this column. If your question is used, a gift in
appreciation for the excellent question will be sent.
Arthur Lazerow, president of Alban Home Inspection Service,
Inc., was a homebuilder for 25 years and is now a nationally
certified ASHI home inspector, having performed more than 5,000
inspections during the past 10 years. He can be heard every
Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. as co-host of Real Estate Today
on WMET 1160 AM.
Previous Issues
July
2004 - Mold, It's Potentially Everywhere
July
2004 - Air Condition & The Importance of Return Air
July 2004
- Venting Problems & More
June 2004
- Property Condition & The Real Estate Contract
May 2004-Unusual Inspection Findings
April 2004-What Are Home Inspection Limitations?
March 2004-What Does A Home Inspection Entail
February 2004-Home Inspection Industry Reaches For Next Level |
