When people look to purchase a new home, they will often look over a property themselves to see if there are any issues they can see. However, unless a trained inspector can catch plenty of issues you can miss with a simple visual inspection. Here are seven serious property defects that an inspection might reveal:
- Insects or rodents
- Termites, roaches, mice, rats, and other pests can all make themselves home if you are not paying attention. An inspection can help you find and deal with any of these unwanted house guests before you move in. Treating damage you discover from termites and vermin after you move in can be expensive and disruptive.
- Structural damage
- Fires, floods, storms, and other disasters can all leave a home with significant damage, even once repairs have been done. Without an inspection, these property defects can go undetected until long after you have moved in and need to pay to repair them yourself. An inspection also is likely to detect if a home has had past or recurring issues from natural disasters, such as identifying tell-tale signs of flood damage in a basement.
- Mold or mildew
- If a house does not have adequate drainage or ventilation, it can suffer from persistent mold or mildew problems. This kind of property defect can not only result in damage to your home, it can also endanger your health, depending on the type of mold that is found.
- HVAC issues
- Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is crucial to maintaining a comfortable living environment, especially during the summer and winter. If you have ventilation issues, or your heating or air conditioning are not working, it can be a major expense to get them in good shape again. Be aware though that you will not be able to test all HVAC systems depending on the time of year you are looking to buy, i.e. air conditioning cannot be tested in the winter and heating cannot be tested in the summer.
- Bad wiring
- Sometimes, a home is just not wired up correctly, resulting in electrical issues like non-functioning sockets, electrical shorts, or other problems. These property defects are especially important to detect early, as bad wiring can require a lot of time and money to repair.
- Hazardous materials
- While it is less common these days, many older buildings can have dangerous materials like asbestos or lead paint in their construction. These property defects are potentially dangerous to your health and can be especially dangerous to young children.
- Code violations
- There are two major reasons a building might be out of code. The first is that it is an older building that has not been renovated to meet modern standards. The second is that someone performed unlicensed work on their home, which will need to be fixed to make it up to code. An inspector should also check municipal records for any open permits on your behalf.
A real estate lawyer can assist with various aspects of the home buying process, including preparing and reading contracts, performing a title search, and closing the deal. The attorneys at Hunziker, Champion, Romer & Miller are skilled and experienced in the aspects of real estate law to ensure a smooth process as you purchase your new home. Contact the Law Offices of Hunziker, Champion, Romer & Miller at (973) 256-0456 or visit our contact page to learn more.
