Buying a home is the largest investment the average American will ever make. It makes perfect sense, therefore, to thoroughly inspect what you’re buying before you buy it. Although the professional inspection will definitely be a part of this house buying process before you can get that far into the house buying journey, here are some of the ways you can initially snoop around the house you’re about to buy.
Poke around the Basement and the Attic
The basement and the attic are often the troubled areas in an old house, so they require some close inspection. Do not be shy and give these two areas a thorough investigation. If you come across some furniture or belongings stacked against the wall in the basement, request the housekeepers to remove them.
The ceilings and walls that are hidden behind furniture can be hiding signs of water damage, such as peeling paint, a chalky white substance on the wall, or rotten wood.
As for the attic, you’ll be able to recognize any signs of damage with a quick glance. Molding wood or rat droppings will instantly reveal them to you. Obviously, you can always go full detective and take a flashlight with you for a closer examination.
Meet the Neighbors
Meeting the neighbors is one of the best ways to reveal a number of things about your potential new home and locality. Simply show up at their door and strike up a casual conversation.
It will help you know more about your potential new place in two ways. Firstly, you get to know about all the things worth knowing about the neighborhood and the property; things such as a noisy bar at the end of the street that the seller never mentioned, for instance.
Secondly, as you talk to them, you’ll get to know more about them from their behavior and demeanor. This will provide you with major insights into how the area and the people over there generally are.
Soak in the Bathroom
Homebuyers are generally shy to snoop around the bathrooms inside their potential new homes when they are visiting. At most, they will take a quick peek, and that will be all. However, bathrooms are not something you should check out in a hurry. Take your time and thoroughly look around. Check the water pressure by turning on the faucets and the showers, flush the toilets to ensure that the drain is not backing up, and look for any signs of visible leaks, etc.
Simply Ask
If you stumble upon something concerning, do not simply write off the property in your head before at least asking the sellers about it. A number of times, there will be a perfectly rational and understandable explanation for a certain “red flag.” In most cases, the seller may even be willing to fix it for you. Asking them about it is always the right thing to do.
All in all, if you snoop around your potential new home, you’ll get some major insights into what your new property and the neighborhood will be like. If you’re looking to buy a house anywhere in Orlando, Florida, you can acquire our dedicated services to make thoroughly informed decisions throughout your house buying journey.
