Buying a new home is an exciting and overwhelming experience. With such a hot home market, buyers are often told they need to make a bid the same day as the walkthrough. Therefore, the time we spend looking at our potential new home is critical to our confidence in our purchase. It is very rare that a new home will meet all of our standards. In fact, compromise is just the reality of buying a new home. However, there are some things in which the home buyer should never compromise. Below, I’ll provide some important tips for when it comes time to buy your new home.
1. The Roof Over Our Head
Before even entering the home on your walkthrough, take a close look at the roof. If the roof is in poor condition you may want to ask your realtor if repair costs can be taken into account in the final price of the home. A damaged roof is an expensive repair job, and if left alone can caused even further damage to the home. Taking this into account, the roof should be high on our list of priorities when looking over a potential home.
2. Plumbing
Plumbing is a critical part of a home’s infrastructure. Poor plumbing can cause expensive repairs and major hassle for the homeowner. However, when doing a home walkthrough we may get caught up in aesthetics and forget to look deeper into the home. One thing to be sure of is that the home does not use polybutylene piping. This was cheap type of piping used in the 80’s and 90’s and as a homeowner you want to stay as far from this stuff as possible. Copper and PEX piping is considered much more reliable.
3. Heating and Cooling
A homes furnace is perhaps one of the most important and expensive appliances. Test the furnace during you walk through and check inspection dates on the furnaces repair log. If you’re worried about the condition of the homes furnace, it may be helpful to ask a professional before purchasing the home.
4. Assess the Neighborhood
When I was looking for my first home several years ago I came to a point where I felt I couldn’t look at one more home. The process was stressful and the area I was searching in was one of the hottest home markets in the country. And then I found what seemed to be the perfect home. It had everything I wanted and I was prepared to make a bid the same day I did the walkthrough. However, as I was getting all my documentation in order I couldn’t help but feel a nagging sensation that I was rushing into something. I decided to go back to the home for one more look around and it was then that I noticed several red flags in the neighborhood. There was a seedy bar less than a block, there was an immediate neighbor with trash and random debris scattered all over their front lawn, and there were way too many signs warning to be on the lookout for crime. You’re probably wondering how I didn’t notice this on my first walkthrough but the truth is, I was more concerned with the home itself and neglected to consider this other very important detail. The home could be perfect, but if you don’t like the neighborhood chances are you will be unhappy in the long run.
5. Have a Home Inspection
Most states required a home inspection before the homes sale is finalized. Keep in mind that a home inspection may reveal major problems within the home that weren’t addressed in the walkthrough. Trust me, it can be very frustrating to find out that the home you thought you were closing on has major issues, however, it’s a better alternative than buying a lemon. Make sure to hire a reputable company to do your home inspection. Most realtors will have a recommended home inspector that is normally a safe bet.
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