 Questions to Ask your
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MAKE A LIST of questions ahead
of time, to ask your home inspector to check out for you:
Heating and air conditioner
systems, air filter systems; check the thermostat. Is it BATTERY operated
or does it have a battery back-up system?
Interior plumbing: perhaps
extra bathrooms and vents installed by the owner, special taps and other
accoutrements that may have been add-ons; in the attic are the vents
even connected?
Electrical systems: Is the
wiring knob and tube? You may want to check out wall plugs, wiring additions,
computer and cable hook-up installations perhaps done by the owner or
done by someone contracted and done without permits and required licences.
The fuse box or breaker panel will be on your list. If the breakers
are not i.d. specific, ask the Seller to mark them for you.
Be sure to check if the copy
of the listing for the home you are buying says 100 amp, 200 amp or
whatever – that in fact, this is what is there. And, is there any
garden wiring outside that requires attention? Perhaps there are wired
outside workshops or garden houses that need attention; even maybe the
wiring for the garage.
Electrical general: you may
want your home inspector to review the existing light switches to see
if they “all” operate, and operate what they are designated for…
such as a fireplace or a special attic fan, perhaps. If the sink has
a garburator, does it work? And then there is the sump pump. Is the
motor seized? No electricity, it does not work. Perhaps the builder
did not install it properly or the owners never maintained it. Is there
an alarm system? Does it work? Is the house pre-wired for alarm and
intercom? Do those connections work? Is the central vac wired properly?
Wiring at the breaker panel: you may want your inspector to double-check that the house has been wired for telephone use…some houses are pre-wired only with flat wire generally referred to as alarm wire, and sometimes that is not sufficient to permit more than one phone line, even in modern today’s houses, where twisted phone wire is required. Due to the break-out of phone company installation services into subdivisions, some builders contract “on the cheap” and a homeowner would not know that he cannot install more than one phone line until he runs into issues with the phone company. Sometimes it means the phone company has to re-wire the whole house, a major undertaking after the drywall is in place and means fishing wire through other than normal channels. Can get very costly. The rewiring is a labor-intensive job, and man-hours are expensive.
You may want to have your inspector double-check that hanging light
fixtures are attached to the ceiling properly. If they wiggle and are
held in place by only one screw, they may fall on you when you try to
change a lightbulb. In the same vein, you may want to have him check
the smoke detectors… are they hard-wired or the battery operated kind.
Have they been installed correctly? Do they work? Have him hold some
sort of heater near the detector to see how sensitive it is. How close
does he have to get before the alarm sounds (or not) ?
What life is left in the battery
that runs back-up for the alarm system? Is there even a battery in the
unit?
Roof and vents and roof exhaust systems;
Attic – moisture, vents –
are bases attached properly? Insulation located there; you may want
to check the joists and their spacing, especially if the owner has replaced
shingles and installed them over top of existing shingles. Is the weight
a problem?
Are the trusses a problem?
Are they the floating kind that warp with the weather, pulling the ceiling
away from the wall?
Does the addition of baked enamel soffit and fascia create another kind
of problem? Has it been installed properly? Are there any holes where
animals have gotten into the attic because the installed pieces do not
line up properly? Has the wind blown under pieces away entirely?
What about the insulation?
has it diminished or even vanished? In older homes, the insulation never
may have been done properly in the first place or may have actually
evaporated over the years, leaving virtually none.
Insulation in exterior walls,
if it can be accessed – will you need more? is there any evidence
that additional insulation has been blown in? You may want to ask if
walls are plaster on lathe, or drywall, particularly, in bathrooms where
moisture collects. Is grout in need of repair? Your inspector will know
the building codes for your area.
Does the exterior stone or brick show signs of hoar frost attached and or moss growing on it? Ask what that means.
If you happen upon hardwood floors that have been installed either by
the builder or after the fact, do they run down hill or sideways at
a tilt? If so, what does that mean if they are not level?
Walls and ceilings – in particular, check for dampness; look for damaged
ceilings and freshly painted cover-ups – bathrooms above often leak
into the ceiling below, or there is overflow damage that may not even
be apparent to the owner. Did someone do a paint cover-up on a damaged
ceiling? If you smell fresh paint in some areas only, such as a basement
block wall, touch it. You may be in for a surprise. If it feels spongy
to the touch, ask questions.
Floors and structures beneath
them: are the joists 2 x8, or 2 x 10? What does the end of the joist
rest on? What type of construction is the framing? – e.g. 2
x 4, 2 x 6 – is there any wood rot visible? 2 x 6 framing allows space
for extra insulation. Is there any insulation that is visible, so you
can check it out?
Windows, seals and their framing;
does the exterior aluminum framing cover wood rot? Aluminum siding and
fascia – does it cover rotted wood? Have the gutters been replaced
and/or cleaned? Does the door sweep need replacing? Can you push an
envelope through the door jam, where it meets the frame?
If there is a room over the
garage, does the garage door let you see lots of light coming through
where the surround-seals are located? If so, chances are good you are
going to have lots of wind coming into your home in bad weather seasons.
Where light shines through in abundance, those seals likely need to
be replaced.
Foundations - cracks, moisture
and mold – don’t forget to check out the garage walls and the garage
interior. Are the brick walls in the garage cracked? Slight surface
cracking due to settling usually isn’t often a problem, but this is
not always so. Ask your inspector.
Basement below grade – and
outside grading issues – has garden soil been packed up against the
concrete by an ambitious gardener. Concrete is porous. If so, the grading
will be addressed by the inspector. If landscaping has been added and
interlock or cobblestone bricks have been used to modify areas, double-check
the height of steps: risers, etc… to be sure they are not too high,
or too low to use safely or if they are breaking any sort of rules for
such. Are they sinking? Is this a costly process to re-do? Ask your
inspector.
If you want special checks
made, ask your inspector if the price includes items such as:
Dishwashers, fireplaces, Jacuzzi type bath jets
Plumbing: it may not be sufficient
for your home inspector just to flush the toilets to see if the water
runs… you may want him to take off the lid on the tank and see exactly
what is in there. You may be surprised to find that the homeowner had
done some d.i.y. repairs that are not up to standards. You may want
to review the pressure produced to fill a bathtub. Some pressure valves
only let 4.5 gallons per minute enter the tub, and it could take a long
time to fill the tub, only to have a cold-water bath waiting for you.
You may want to ask your inspector
about “critter control” – that is – a check regarding terminates,
and or carpenter ants.
No home inspector can or will
speak to the asbestos issue, but arrangements can be made separately
for those tests.
Continue to add items to this list as you think of them. Check with your inspector ahead of time, regarding what is included in the cost. Although the inspection has a preset list of instructions from his company, the inspector will likely be pleased to comply with your requests, particularly if he knows ahead of time that he will be required to allot extra time for his appointment with you.
Ask what kind of report you can expect?
These are just some questions. You will have others. Be prepared ahead of time with your list of questions written down. Walk with the inspector and talk to the inspector as he does his work. Item by item, check off your questions. He will advise how certain mechanisms work. He will go over the entire report with you at the end of the inspection. Do not rush. Take your time, and allow the inspector to do his job. This process cannot be rushed, so mark your calendar accordingly. You may want to book off time in the amount of 3-4 hours, if it is necessary for you to take time off work. Some inspections take all day. Pre-arrange. Know ahead of time what you have contracted for.
We highly recommend if you are thinking of selling a home, that you
immediately book a pre-inspection, so that you are at the ready, organized
and able to address any situation that may arise when a buyer arrives
with an offer. Know that the buyer still has the right to obtain their
own home inspection at their own expense if they so wish. As a buyer,
the inspection report may be kept on file so that if and when you sell
the property you have just purchased, you can, in turn, hand over the
inspection report to the next owner, and add to it any additional work
and/or warranties you acquire while living there.
The pre-inspection procedure
is simply a process that shows you have nothing to hide from a potential
buyer. Although a pre-inspection in no way obligates you to fix or repair
findings, it will enable you to make advance decisions about an acceptable
price at which to offer your home to the market, and will show the buyer
that you are a sincere seller – and one who is not trying to hide
defects - ones that could end up with you later being sued over them.
When the report is offered to the would-be buyer upfront, they know
exactly what they are getting into and can judge accordingly whether
or not they are willing to proceed – what they are willing to accept
or not. It will help the seller to stabilize his thinking ahead of time,
as well.
The home inspector cannot advise
the buyer or the seller whether or not to remove conditions in offers,
however they will advise as to likely costs required to implement any
changes, at which time the buyer or the seller can decide how to proceed.
Regardless of the costs involved,
and sometimes these can seem expensive, this is a process that no one
involved in buying or selling a home can afford to short-circuit. It
is what it is and in the end could save you countless thousands of dollars.
Know that sellers are not always trying to hide things; sometimes they
legitimately do not know about certain problems. In the end everyone
benefits.
As a responsible REALTOR, we recommend to all our clients and customers, too, to book a home inspection – even if there is someone in your family who is a roofer, a plumber, or a general contractor. These days you need a specialist, one who is versed in mandatory building codes for the domicile of the property, and one who has the training to evaluate multiple situations and remove the risk factor for you. No one likes surprises, especially expensive ones. After the fact is no time to try to figure out liability, and who is responsible for what. That gets even more expensive.
Know ahead of time that your home inspector will claim that he has no
liability when you discover things he did not address, subject to the
return of your fee charged. Having said that there are many lawsuits
on the record where the home inspector has, in fact, been held liable.
Govern your purchase and sale requirements accordingly and you should
be safe. Always seek the outside advice of an expert. This is no time
to gamble with one of the largest commitments you may make in your lifetime.
Please remember me when you are ready to sell or ready to buy - and
please tell your friends how promptly we responded to your request.
Perhaps share our web site url with your friends, relatives and business
associates, and bookmark it in your favourites for use again on another
day.
www.carolyne.com 905-458-6711
Please note that MLS means
other agents sell our listings and we sell theirs. If you see any signs
or ads of any interest, please let me know, and I will gladly pass the
information you require over to you by email or telephone, immediately.
"The nicest compliment
that you can give me is to refer your
neighbours, friends, business associates, and family".
NICE THINGS PEOPLE SAY about Carolyne at CAROLYNE
REALTY CORP.
Here are copies of reference
letters I recently received. I have a large number
of wonderful letters I can show you. This is just a current example
of
recent ones. There are also quite a few on my web site... if you would
like to view them on your computer.
Carolyne - the name most recommended. The one
who REALLY gets results.
Call any time, if you would like real estate information for your area.
CAROLYNE
REALTY CORP. Small Company
- but we do BIG BUSINESS in real estate -
Where it's the LITTLE things that count and Our Reputation is on the
SOLD sign
======================
Reference letters:
(going through a divorce) Client says:
I just want to take a moment
and say that I appreciate your efforts in listing and selling my home.
An unfortunate circumstance of a marital breakdown is never an easy
sale to handle; for anyone involved. Selling a home can be an emotional
experience under any circumstances. Selling a home that one cared about
very much and is leaving under unhappy conditions makes the process
that much more complicated. From the beginning, I felt that you were
the right choice due to your compassion. And yet you approached the
business as true business without compromising or taking advantage of
the personal matter at hand. Your years of experience is evident to
me by the consistency of your management of our sale during very stressful
moments.
I don't know what more to say other than thank-you. Your professionalism
and personal consideration has been very helpful for me. I wish you
continued success in the future.
signed - MWK
***************************
(Ms. Taylor was a buyer "and"
a seller) Here's what she says:
My past experience with a real estate agent was not as rewarding as
the
First Class level of service I received from you Carolyne. What you
did,
was simply provide me with a sensible, no-nonsense way of: listening,
returning calls promptly, answering questions, accommodating my schedule
and
showing patience and courtesy. You did not give a hard sell when showing
a
place and if there were faults, you noted them to me. I appreciated
your
knowledge and professionalism and the fact that you took the time to
hand
out useful information on moving preparations and facts I needed to
know on
budgeting for other costs. It was a pleasure to know you and I would
not
hesitate recommending your services to others. Thanks again.
signed - Y. Taylor (you can speak directly to her)
***************************
(These folks sold here and
relocated) Here's what they say:
I wanted to express our sincere thank you for your EXTREMELY proficient
and
professional services. With your years of experience in the industry,
and
your "tough as nails" work ethic, you knew exactly what we
wanted after one
meeting. Most of the realtors we interviewed were in and out in 10 minutes.
You, however, were there for over an hour, which spoke volumes to us
and it
wasn't a big sales pitch either. You only brought qualified buyers,
as to
not waste our time and were in touch EVERY single day, after EVERY single
showing to give us feedback, which was great! Without the advice you
gave
us on how to 'show' our home, we may still be living in Brampton. But
now
we are in Halifax exactly at the time we wanted to be.
I would highly recommend Carolyne
Realty Corp. to anyone who doesn't want
the hassles and the "general care" of one of the bigger players
out there.
She truly cares about every detail and will not lead you astray!!! Even
2
months after our sale, we still keep in contact through ICQ, which is
very
nice because, you never know when we'll be moving back and may need
her
again. I would invite any potential clients to call me for more information
on the excellent service we received.
signed - Tammy & Dan
*This material is copyrighted by Carolyne Realty Corp. and may not be reprinted without permission in writing.
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