Important Property Issues to Explore When Buying or Selling a Home
Whether you are an experienced home owner who has not bought or sold a home in awhile or a buyer who is new to the market, it is a good idea to become more familiar with the various types of verification measures most buyers currently explore when purchasing a home today.
Most buyers are advised by their real estate agents to strongly consider having a thorough home inspection on any home that they are purchasing—often soon after they are “under contract”. This should typically include a complete inspection of the actual home and any outbuildings or structures, a radon test, and a termite/pest inspection. If this is an older home that might have asbestos pipes or tiles, lead based paint, or an oil tank for heating oil, it would be wise to have these inspected as well. Additionally, if the home is not connected to city water or sewer, a septic tank inspection and a water test to ensure there are no contaminants in the drinking water should also be performed. Certain other important verifications should also be made (the gallons of water per minute can the well accommodate; the number of bedrooms was the septic system permitted for, etc.).
The actual home inspection should be a thorough “going over “of the house. Although no inspector can see inside of interior walls or create damage in the name of “exploration”, or guarantee everything they have inspected, a good inspector will examine all appliances, the HVAC system, electrical system, plumbing system, all windows and doors, insulation, the roof, and attempt to point out any framing or structural defects in the house, driveways and outbuildings. A good report should also point out the overall condition, and the apparent quality of construction. While some homes may need cosmetic updating, a home inspector is really looking to comment of the functional condition of the home and to point out any problems.
A home inspector in North Carolina is required to be licensed by the state. The best inspectors typically have an extensive background in construction and/or engineering, but when they encounter significant issues with certain systems (possibly like the HVAC or gas logs or roof) they usually recommend that the buyer obtain an additional inspection by a specialist in that field. For example, an “inbalance” in an HVAC system would typically result in the home inspector stating that “further exploration with this system is beyond the scope of the home inspector and further evaluation by a licensed heating and air contractor is recommended” or “the roof appears to be near the end of its functional life, and a licensed roofing contractor should be enlisted to further evaluate”.
Most home inspectors can also perform a radon test at the same time that the home inspection is being performed. Some will request to come a few days prior to the actual home inspection to place the monitor so that the results can be read at the time of the home inspection and some will place it at the time of the inspection and come a few days later to retrieve it. Naturally, appointments need to be made for this in order to accommodate both the sellers and buyers schedules. Radon is a colorless, odorless, carcinogenic gas that can seep into a house through a slab, basement wall or crawlspace. The Environmental Protection Agency mandates that any radon reading above 4.0 pCi/L should be remediated to bring the radon to acceptable, healthy levels. Most buyers want to have this test performed, and most home owners should possibly consider having their home tested. For health considerations alone, this is a wise decision. Also, if are planning to sell your home, it is better to find out in advance if you are in need of radon remediation. That way, you can have a system installed ahead of putting your home on the market. Most buyers seem to feel more comfortable in knowing that while there may have been a past high radon level in their prospective new home, that it has been taken care of—rather than finding out during a home inspection, which can make a buyer feel uneasy about the house (despite the fact that many people have homes with a higher than desired reading of radon at some point).
Pest inspections are also very important when buying a home (and some lenders even require this). It is also extremely beneficial for home owners to have an annual termite/wood destroying insect inspection. You might not ever see any outward sign of an infestation in your daily living. Since termites cannot survive in daylight and usually burrow into the wood members of your home, often crawling thorough “forage tubes” which protect them from light, and most folks don’t even know they are there. They can significantly damage or destroy your house if left untreated. A licensed termite inspector knows specifically what to look for, and in the event that they find a pest problem, can and should show you where they see the signs in your home. They can treat these destructive pests, stopping further damage, and should come back every year thereafter for an annual inspection. Once your home is treated, it is important to keep it “under bond” with the pest company. For a nominal fee, they will ensure that there are no active termites every year and if they do see signs of re-infestation, will usually treat at no additional cost as long as it is under bond. Pest companies offer various types of treatments, and they are effective for a varying number of years, and then retreatment is often advised when the chemicals are no longer effective.
Excessive moisture and mold can also create significant issues for any homeowner. Excessive dampness in or around a crawlspace or basement wall is one of your homes worst enemies. It really is an “open invitation” to termites, and promotes decay and mold growth. This is often fairly easily avoided–keep those gutters and downspouts clean and free flowing away from the house, bring in additional soil to mound around the perimeter of your foundation if it has compacted and or eroded over time, have a chimney cap installed or inspected if you have an old one, have your leaky spigots and faucets repaired, and fix that roof leak or replace it, folks! If left untreated for any extended period, moisture intrusion is a recipe for a really big problem and potentially huge expense.
Additionally, if you are considering making any type of significant improvement to your home (a room or partial room addition, finishing a basement or attic, changing windows, building a new or replacement deck, remodeling a kitchen or bath involving electrical or plumbing changes, etc.), please be sure that you hire a licensed contractor who will obtain all necessary permits. If you are a DIY type, be sure to contact the county building inspection department to be sure that any improvements are done with a permit when required. If you are attempting to purchase a home in which there appears to have had recent improvements, it would be wise to verify with the county that the correct permits were issued and “closed” at the end of the project. This will ensure that the construction was done properly and approved by the county.
Lastly, I always encourage my buyer clients to have a new survey of the property performed. This is the most effective way to learn if there are any encroachments on the property (or whether the surveyed property is encroaching on another). This may be a simple thing—like a driveway corner encroaching on a neighbors yard by a foot, or a more significant encroachment—like a concrete swimming pool where half was built on a neighbors land—no kidding, I really encountered this on a property . It is important to know what you are buying or selling with regards to a survey, because chances are you may learn that you have an issue at a very inopportune time (like when you are already under contract). Often the survey will turn up nothing problematic, but if there should be an issue, it is wise to know so that it can be dealt with properl y. Even if it is not an issue you consider a “big deal problem”, chances are the next buyer will not feel that way and will expect you to fix it.
Being armed with enough good information can have a significant impact on the life span of the home you own or are buying, and can also have a big financial impact on one of your largest investments. In addition, the information you may learn during this process can help increase your ability to address maintenance items that nearly every homeowner has to tackle. Hopefully, this will help you to avoid any costly or unpleasant surprises!
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