2 Hidden Areas Of Concern When Buying Your First Single Family Home
Buying your very first single family home is both an exciting and a challenging experience. If you are already getting ready to look for the home of your dreams, and have contact a real estate agent and are already scouting out potential family homes, then it is vital that you know what to check out. You need to be on the look out for things that will be costly to repair. Most people will notice the obvious issues (worn floors, bad fixtures, etc...) but it is also important to look for the not so obvious issues that might be hidden from you; things that are hiding in plain sight so to speak. However, as long as you know what to look for, you will be in good shape when it comes to buying your dream home. Here are a few major issues to be on the lookout for.
A Sound Boiler and Heating System
A boiler and heating system might not be something you might notice on the initial walk through, but it can be a huge hassle if it's in bad shape. Not only will your home be cold, but the boiler and the heating system is something that could be very expensive to replace. So, make sure you take a look at the boiler and look to see if there are any leaks around the base of it. If you are touring the home during a warm time of year, you might not be able to see if the heat works (aside from the hot water) so it's important to have someone else inspect the house before buying. The boiler should be inspected, as well as the pipes that run to the hot water outlets.
The Roof
The roof is a huge part of your family home. If the roof is in bad shape, that is something you really must be aware of. A rotten roof (one where there are leaks that have damaged the roof underlayment and decking) is a potential disaster. The cost of replacing a roof is no small issue. You must check out that the roof is not compromised. You can look at the attic to see if there are any leaks, but this might only show a roof that is in dire straights. The other thing you should do is bring in an inspector who will climb up on to the roof itself and inspect it up close.
Share