Looking for a new home can give us a multitude of emotions. I personally don’t like to shop for almost anything from groceries to vehicles or even clothes. Most recently, I bought a new car. I started off pretty gung-ho and wanted a brand-new car I saw online. I was approved for the loan, the payment was reasonable, the insurance rate was amazing, and most importantly it came in pink. SOLD! Then, I saw the car in person. I’ve seen shoe boxes bigger than that thing! So, back to square one. That was a bit depressing and finally by the end, I wanted pretty much anything that ran and that I could afford.
It was very similar to my home buying experience. I started out wanting this many bedrooms, bathrooms, acres, in this location, etcetera, and turned into, I’m buying this house that has a roof and walls which are both very necessary so I’m pretty sure it’s great. After a while, I was just overwhelmed with choices and decisions that I wasn’t even sure I really had a preference on or knew existed as an option prior to starting my journey so I’m pretty sure they weren’t important to me. What I have since found out is that, some things presented as important really weren’t and other things not even brought up, were vital.
That gave me the idea while I was out with Brett one day, to see what actually happens during a home inspection, to write about the places I decided not to follow along. I realized that not only did I not go in these places during my home tour, but some of them, I still haven’t ventured to today or hired anyone else to look at because they’re the out-of-sight, out-of-mind locations that normally only get visited once there’s an issue.
1. The Roof
Yep, it’s there, is how most people view the roof while home shopping. I don’t know about you, but I forgot to take my ladder on all of my home tours. But, it’s a vital part of every home. No one wants wake up in the 1980s on a newly converted waterbed from a roof leak that could have been prevented if they’d known there were areas that needed sealed.
2. The Crawl Space
That’s another one, I’m taking someone’s word for. I can do basements but I need to be able to run if I see bugs so a crawl space isn’t for me. However, a well-maintained crawlspace is necessary for a sound home. Water leaks, foundation cracks, floor support and subfloor damage are just a few of the reasons that someone needs to go into your crawl space before you buy a home and for checkups.
3. The Attic
I’m not personally as bothered by the attic as a crawl space. I still didn’t get in mine before I bought my house, but I have been in a few before to do repair work. The attic can show you tons of things. It can give you the first clues that your roof is having issues, it has insulation that prevents your heat from escaping, and many of them have the home’s heating, cooling, ductwork and electrical systems ran through them.
If you, like me, didn’t get up close and personal with these locations during your home tour, then pay special attention to these sections of your home inspection reports prior to buying. If you still haven’t been in any of these areas, or sent someone else after years of living in your home, get a preventative home inspection from Strong Hold Inspections. It’s like a short version of a pre-buying home inspection where things like the hole in the wall that you can clearly see yourself, still containing the drone the kids swore was small enough to fly inside, are skipped over (or maybe not because I’d get a good laugh adding that one into the report).
