The last thing you want to happen when selling your real estate property is to encounter complications and incidents that will negatively affect the transaction. The good news is that there are simple things that you can do to make sure that these things do not happen during the settlement process. One of the key elements in effective real estate selling is the proper appreciation and conduct of a comprehensive home inspection. A critical part of the task is a clear understanding of the key elements of home inspection.
Major Issues Involving Building Integrity
- Termite Damage and Infestation
This is one type of damage to real estate properties that you don’t want to lose control of. Termite infestation is a reality you must face when you have untreated pine. These dreaded pests are capable of literally turning to dust the wooden structure of your dream home in just a matter of months. A reliable home inspection activity must be able to check spots and places in the home for termite trails. Specifically, the home inspection report must provide data and information about any structural timber that may have been affected by termite infestation from the floor joists to ceiling supports.
- Proper Settling of the Home Foundation
This is a critical structural issue that must be properly noted in the home inspection written report. Both hairline and structural cracks may develop and affect slab foundations as the ground becomes wetter or gradually dries over time. Structural and cosmetic repairs to correct these structural anomalies must be properly reflected in the written report. One of the more serious issues you must be concerned with is your possible liability in instances where plaster and masonry fall due to cracks and problems in the lathe and plaster.
It is also crucial to check for possible damages and structural issues affecting the main line within the interior as well as the exterior part of the building structure. The major cause of these problems is the movement of the building structure. This is not a common problem to gas and electricity utilities. However, you may have to thoroughly inspect PVC pipes as these materials can develop fractures even with the slightest shift of the building structure.
- Short-Cuts in the Construction Process
Some may perceive this to be too critical of the home inspection process. However, we must emphasize the need to meet the minimum standards, such as the width of mortar joints for bricks. Your failure to comply with the required norm can seriously affect the structural integrity of the building structure. Other structural issues we have to contend with are the buckling of floors and using uncured or untreated wooden components in portions of the structure where downpipes are installed.
- Problems in the Plumbing System and Septic System
It is extremely important that you check the plumbing system of your real estate property before a home inspection. The inspection activity will involve opening multiple faucets simultaneously to check the water pressure. The septic system will also be inspected for possible drainage problems. Inspection of the septic system is usually done with the use of dye. The dye material above the septic drain field indicates a drainage problem.
- Unsafe and Inadequate Electrical Systems
The configuration of your circuit breaker and electrical panel must meet the minimum safety standards required for your home. The home inspection activity shall cover the receptacles found in the kitchen and bathroom that contain the safety circuit breaker for system overload and short circuits. The written report will confirm the presence of such receptacles and not the inferior “work-around” handiworks, which are usually not wired properly.