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Purchasing a Home – Evaluations

Purchasing a home can be a very large decision. If you are moving from your current location or if you are pondering the idea of purchasing your first home, there are many points and materials in the home that you should inspect to be sure that your purchase is well worth the money you are spending. Not inspecting a home before purchase can lead to disastrous problems later as materials and utilities fail. 

Of the many things that you should inspect when purchasing any type of property is the slope of the landscaping near the home. If the slope of the property is leading water to the home, you could be getting water in the basement during wet and rainy seasons, or you could have the potential for water damage sometime in the future as the water continues to push on the foundation over the years. 

A damp or wet area in the basement or in crawl spaces can cause your foundation to move and crack over time. If the water from the soil is draining back towards the home and the water is constantly sitting against the foundation, this can lead to moisture up the walls. Moisture then leads to mold, mildew, and rotting of the wood used in the home. 

When possibly purchasing a home, look for landscaping that leads the water away from the home. Ask about drains around the foundation and inspect the foundation walls for cracks or mold. Cracks don�ft necessarily mean that mold will grow, but just something to keep in mind. 

The roof is another area that you should take into consideration when you are thinking about purchasing a home. The house ages, and so does the roof. A roof is required to keep the interior of your home dry, and protected. As the roof gets older the materials on the roof may need replaced. Ask how old the roof is. Look for interior water damages from a roof leak. Go into the attic and look at the interior of the roof. 

Most roofing materials are going to last between fifteen and thirty years. You can expect that if you are going to live in your home more than twenty years, at some point you are going to have to have the roof repaired, replaced or fixed. Some types of roofing materials will last longer such as terra cotta, wood shake shingles, and concrete. These types of roofing materials can last from fifty to one hundred years. 

If you see shingles missing on a shingled roof, this will need repaired right away. Pools of water lying on the rubber roofing means that the roof is not very even. Look for dried out cracks in the rubber roofing to be sure you find any hidden leaks. Sometimes roof leaks are as simple as tarring around the flashing or chimney. Have an inspector or contractor check out the roofing materials and the condition of the roof if you are unsure. 

Many homes are being �efinished�f on the exterior with stucco or dryvit. This hard surface can be detailed or flat and sometimes will remind you of a lath and plaster type material. This type of siding should last you a lifetime, at least fifty to seventy five years, but if the materials were not constructed properly, it could end up more of a problem. 

Water can enter your home through cracks, holes, or tiny crevasses in the dryvit or stucco material. You can see cracks and holes in the siding and these are repairs that can be costly. Another place that you can see if the dryvit or stucco sided home will need additional repairs is at the bottom of the siding. 

Down the by soil, where the dryvit meets the foundation of your home, the house should be wrapped with a special material that will prevent water from leaking into the home. If there is concrete up next to the material that was used to wrap the home, or if there is asphalt up close, the wrap does not allow the water to escape properly causing water to possibly back up into the walls of the home. 

Again, looking for interior water damages, mold, mildew or watching how the water flows when it rains – you can determine if this siding was installed properly. The dryvit or stucco that was installed properly saves you a bundle of money over the life of your home. 

One last major thing to look at when you are inspecting a home that you are considering purchasing is the electrical wiring. One of the most common reasons why house fires happen is because of electrical problems. A home that has been recently inspected by an electrician (with a sticker or notification to prove this) or a home that has the most current types of electricity provided is a safer home. 

Older homes can different types of electrical outlets, wiring, even the electrical supply into the house is different in many older homes than in a home that was built in the last ten years. Be sure to ask what type of electrical supply is in the house. Does the house have enough outlets? Does the house have a drier supply line installed correctly? Ask questions if you find any wires, problems, or outlets that don�ft work during your inspection of the house. 

Write everything down that you see during your inspection. Some things could be very minor, such as a bent downspout or a loose shingle. These items can be corrected with very little money involved. But when you are in the attic and you see rotten boards, or if you are in the basement and you see mold growing, you need to find the source and how it can be corrected to determine how much this problem will cost you if you purchase this house.