4 Home Inspection Red Flags

The process of buying a home can be emotionally and physically challenging for many people. During the euphoric stage of making an offer, it’s easy to overlook potential home problems. Especially when you’re consumed with more important issues, such as whether or not the dining table will fit.

During this sensitive time, only seek guidance from trustworthy home inspection professionals with years of experience. And feel free to use the following home inspection checklist to identify any potential red flag areas in what you hope to be your new home.

Foundation Issues
Most experts will tell you that cracks are the red flag to watch for when it comes to foundation issues. We’d agree. While smaller cracks found in concrete generally point to foundation settlement, larger cracks often indicate a more serious problem concerning the structural integrity of your home.

Freshly Painted Walls
Just as we’re recommending you add freshly painted walls to your home inspection checklist, the home seller has likely checked this particular item off of his. Though a new coat of paint doesn’t always signify underlying damage that the seller is trying to cover up – sometimes it is. Pay special attention to any areas which look to be spot-painted.

Questionable Workmanship
Pinterest has made do-it-yourself projects seem incredibly fun and YouTube further encourages us with a plethora of how-to videos. Be mindful of leaky faucets, toilet noises, missing trim work and uneven flooring installation.

Weird Smells
Just as bad smells can be a sign of trouble, so too can good ones! Pleasant smells can sometimes be employed to cover up bad smells. If you spot numerous air freshener plugins, this hints at a possible deeper problem. Of course, the home seller may also love the smell of an air freshener. To find out for sure, contact a home inspection expert.

Certainly, the home inspection can be a stressful part of the home buying process. Even so, identifying current and potential problems allows you to make an educated decision about whether or not to purchase a home. Isn’t that worth a relatively small fee? Most people would say yes.

Is a home inspection with Inspect it All on your home inspection checklist? If so, call (306) 551-3832 or contact us online at www.inspectitall.ca.

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