Things to Know Before Buying a House
Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you can make. For many people, a new house represents who they are and what defines them as a person. If you would like to get the best from a house, there are a few boxes the house must check before you buy it. In this article, I will walk you through some things you need to know before buying a new house. Knowing these things will save you a lot of stress and money and will inevitably help you enjoy your new home — alone or with family.
If you are ready, hop on, let's ride along.
7 Things to Know About a House Before Buying It
Before you sign that check to pay for a new house, you must get all the information you can about the following seven things:
1. The Roof
Is the roof leaking? Are the materials for the roofing good enough? Concrete or terracotta or slate? Are these materials expired? What type of roof was used? When was the last time they resurfaced the house? You want to be sure of the quality of the roof of a prospective new home before you pay for it; else, you will spend more doing repairs.
2. The Foundation
Nobody wants to move into a house with a foundation that can’t withstand natural impacts like storms and earthquakes. More so, if the house is located close to places susceptible to these events, then a thorough structural analysis is vital.
3. Type of Electrical Wiring
Be sure to check the type of electrical wiring used in the house before buying. You might not have the technical knowledge to do this, so it’s best you hire a technician.
Make sure the wiring in your prospective home is good enough for all the electrical appliances you would be using.
4. Water Pipes
You should know what year water pipes were installed and the type of pipe used. Galvanizing steel pipes, for example, can cause health problems if not replaced or repaired after a long time.
Also, check for the water pressure to know how effective the pipes are. Let a plumbing specialist check how much longer the pipes have before they're damaged and would need replacement.
5. HVAC Systems
With the world being more climate change conscious, you should know how the house's heating and cooling system is. How much do these systems save energy? What are the lifespans of the HVAC systems? Hire an HVAC professional's service to know how good the HVAC system is and how energy-conservative it is.
6. Walls
Knowing the structural stability of the walls is a non-negotiable criterion before buying a new house. Do the walls have cracks? How large are these cracks? When you hit the walls gently, do they make hollow sounds? How thick are the barriers?
7. Trees
This might sound absurd, but trees can affect the safety of a new house you want to buy. Are the trees' roots close to the home? How low are the branches hanging? Do the trees interfere with power lines? These are some pertinent questions you must want answers to before buying a new house.
After you check all the things we listed, you should know what works well and what you need to fix or repair in the house. You should also now have a comprehensive history, such as if there’s been water or fire damage.
How Do You Get This Information?
Getting all the information we talked about in the last section on your own will be hard without a property inspector. A property inspector will do a thorough inspection of the home and confirm whether the home is safe.
If the home inspector is certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), you can be confident you will get a good report.
Why You Need to Know This Before Buying a New House
1. It Saves You Some Cash
If you’re oblivious of these things, you’ll spend more on repairs and renovations you didn’t plan for.
Katherine’s second home comes readily to mind when I think about the consequences of buying a new house without considering these things. Kate is a friend who’d been dreaming of buying a new and bigger house. Her agent had called her, showed her an apartment that fit her dream house. Kate, swarmed with emotions, bought the house immediately. The deal was closed in a few days. A few days into the house, Kate noticed things she didn’t like. She spent a lot of money on repairs.
Don’t be like Kate. Check for these things!
2. It Saves You Mental Stress
Buying a new home that doesn't meet your expectations can cause an absolute mental health wreck.
When my friend Kate finished with the plethora of repairs and replacements, she was mentally exhausted.
Nobody likes extra unplanned expenses!