Key things to look at if you are shopping for a home

When you are shopping for a home to purchase, it is important to inspect for potentially significant defects or problems.  A full home inspection should be performed by a professional home inspector once you are under contract with the seller but here are a few items to look for while shopping around.  You might just save yourself the cost of an inspection if it is a deal buster item and was not found until you have an inspection done.

Structure

Stand a way back from the home and look at the symmetry of the house structure.

• Follow along the roof ridgeline.  Are there any significant sags or bows?

• Is the chimney straight and not leaning or bowing in any direction?

• Does the home look square and symmetrical?

• Are there any significant cracks in the stucco, bricks, or rock siding? (thick enough to slide a quarter sideways into)

• Look at the foundation concrete at ground level.  Are there vertical cracks that are big enough to place two quarters side by side into?  Are there V shaped cracks with a wide opening at the top or bottom and a tight crack at the other end.  Are there cracks where the concrete on each side of the crack doesn’t line up or displaced from the opposite side?

• Are there good-sized trees closer than 3 feet to the foundation 

Roof

Viewing the roof from the ground in the front and back yards:

• Is the roof visibly missing tiles or have damaged tiles?

• Are there water stains or damage on the ceilings of any rooms in the home 

• Are there any pieces of the roof seen laying in the yard? (not uncommon)

Windows

• Are the windows single or double pane glass (Single pane not energy efficient)

• Are there windows that are foggy or have damaged seals between glass layers

Interior

• Are there any cracks in walls or ceilings?

• Are there any water stains on walls or ceilings?

• Are there any dark mold like stains on walls ?

Bathrooms

• Are there any water stains on walls or flooring?

• Are there any soft or squishy spots on walls in the shower surround?

• Is there rusty water coming from sink, toilet, or bathtub?

• Is there any soft flooring around toilet?

• Is there low or limited water flow from sink or shower

HVAC

• Does AC blow cold air (should come out about 20 degrees cooler than room)

• How old does the AC condensing unit look (Outside unit) These typically do not last beyond 12 years

Pests

• Do you see any thin vertical trails of dried looking mud running from the ground across the foundation to the siding

• Do you see rodent droppings back in corners in closets, pantry, or cabinets

Typical Lifespans

• Furnace 15-20 years

• AC condensing unit 12 years

• Water heaters  10-15 years

• Asphalt Composition Roofs 25-30 years

• Tile or Concrete Tile Roofs – Tiles 40-50 years

• Tile Roof Water barrier underlayment – 20 years 

• Insulated glass unit seals – varies but those in direct sun can begin to fail after 20 years

Miscellaneous Info

• Houses built before 1978 that have popcorn ceilings may contain asbestos

• Houses built in the 60’s and older may have galvanized water supply piping that gradually rusts inside and occludes pipes.  (typical lifespan 50 years)

• If you see grey water piping in an older manufactured home or a home built in the 70’s-80’s it may be polybutylene water supply piping which can be problematic

• If you see an electric panel that is a Federal Pacific or a Zinsco Panel on a home older than the 70’s, it is a fire and safety hazard

• If you see an addition on the side of the house or back of the house that has a concrete slab but no visible foundation walls, it probably not permitted by the city and was built on a patio or carport slab.   It likely has no foundation footings to support the added weight of the walls and roof