Fast DIY Home Inspection

When you are buying a home, there are a lot of things you must consider before taking on a contract. You’ll probably look at countless options, possibly make multiple offers, and ultimately end up with a new place to live. After so much hard work, you don’t want everything to be wasted. To help ensure your time is well spent, Patriot Title Agency in Ohio would like to remind you of two things that you should inspect yourself before having a professional home inspection done during closing: the roof and foundation.

Having a structurally sound and watertight roof is absolutely essential when buying a new house. Damaged roofs often lead to unwanted moisture buildup, mold or mildew. Leaking roofs can also weaken the structure of the house, making it more likely you will spend money to fix it later. On the inside, look for obvious signs of leakage; discolored or peeling paint is a dead giveaway. On the outside of the roof, do a check for missing or broken shingles and obvious storm damage. Also, inspect the gutters to see that they are draining properly. Gutter problems can affect the inside and outside of the roof, as well as the siding so repairs are costly.

The foundation of a house literally keeps the house from falling down; if the foundation is compromised so is the house. You must check for signs of bad drainage, flooding and other foundation issues before making an offer. Do a walk around the outside of the property with a strong screwdriver, giving the foundation a good hard jab in multiple spots. If the foundation isn’t affected on impact, it should be fine. If it crumbles with the impact of the screwdriver then the concrete is brittle and no good. On the inside, look for movement or cracks. Some small “spider web” cracks are natural as are cracks in designated fault areas, but any diagonal cracks or cracks with obvious water leakage are extremely bad.

Knowing what to look for yourself and being able to detect automatic disqualifiers before having a professional home inspection can save you a lot of time and trouble when buying a home. Once you’ve found your dream home you’ll want to protect your investment as best as possible. When that time comes, trust our real estate experts. For any real estate advice or title insurance in Ohio, contact us today at 330-479-3000.