Have you ever wondered ‘what’s wrong with this house?’  As a Buyer, it can be tricky to determine if there is a history of water damage, fire, or illegal activity in a potential new home.  What can you do to be sure?

First, I always recommend using a REALTOR.  Why not get someone on your side, who has knowledge of the area and the process involved in buying a home?  Second, hire a Home Inspector.  If you are ready to make an offer, make sure one of your conditions is to have time to do a home inspection with a licensed Inspector.  These inspections can range from $350 to $800, depending on the size of the home and who you chose, but it is money well spent.  You need to go into any purchase knowing all the facts. You need to have the option of looking at all the possible deficiencies in the home and deciding what you can live with, what you’re willing to pay to have fixed, and whether it is all too much and you need to walk away.

Third, you might want to consider doing a history on the home.  I read an article this morning about a service called Home Verified, which will do a background check on a home to determine if there has ever been an insurance claim made against the home by a prior owner to do with fire, water damage or sewage backup.  They can also find out if there has been illegal activity in the home.

Wouldn’t it be better to know, with certainty, what you’re getting into?  It seems worth it to me.

If you would like more information about this topic, feel free to contact us anytime.  You can reach John by cell at 705-727-6111 or by email at John@JohnWeberTeam.com.  You can reach Christie by cell at 705-220-1152 or be email at Christie@JohnWeberTeam.com.