June 5, 2017

Looking To Sell Your Home?

If you are trying to sell your home, you will probably find a buyer hiring a professional home inspector to go over it. In a buyer’s market, the inspection report often ends up as a punch list the home owner must get fixed before closing the sale.

Here are some of the most common problems that crop up, according to the American Society of Home Inspectors:

• Plumbing leaks – often unnoticed by current occupants or thought too trivial to repair. Especially bothersome are leaks in a toilet’s seal that may cause damage to the wood sub floor.

• Wiring issues – sometimes rodents chew through wires or a DIY project goes against code. A good inspector will check outlets to make sure they are properly wired and grounded.

• Furnace cracks and duct work leaks – some inspectors may also flag older HVAC equipment that still might be functioning okay but wastes energy or is simply near the end of its life span.

• Windows with a broken seal or a double-pane window with signs of condensation. Many buyers will demand them to be replaced or subtract the cost from the selling price.

• Stoves or ovens without a safety device on the floor to prevent them from tipping over. This is often overlooked by installers.

Professional home inspectors say they can almost always find flaws in homes built between the mid-1990s and 2008. That was a heyday for home building and most builders had trouble finding enough qualified workers. Let the seller beware!