When you’re looking at a home to purchase in New Jersey there are some things you as a buyer can look for as you tour the home. I understand that it is challenging to look at a home in terms of potential issues when you’re touring it but doing so will give you a leg up in creating your offer for the house as well as providing you information regarding its care and maintenance. So many times, I have done home inspections for clients who have told me they just didn’t see large defects in a house as they viewed it. I understand the challenge but is very useful to you as a buyer to pick up certain cues and problems before you make your offer.
One of the larger issues that is often missed by prospective homebuyers is water infiltration in the basement or the crawlspace. When you are looking at a home to buy make sure that you keep your eyes open, especially in the basement of the property. What you are looking for is any type of water staining, orders, or visible mold. These are telltale signs of past or present water infiltration problems. Look for signs of water staining on the lower portion of interior walls, on columns, at the bottom of the basement steps, and look for white powdery deposits which are likely to be efflorescence on the exposed foundation walls. Efflorescence deposits are salt, and minerals left behind after water seepage has taken place. As you’re walking through the basement notice any odor, especially musty odors which will indicate probable mold in the basement or crawl space. The musty odors that we notice in basement are often attributable to damp conditions which is true however the musty odor is caused by the outgassing of mold. Also, you as a buyer should be on the lookout for signs of visible mold black, green or white substances that are on organic materials or the foundation walls that are just out of place. Mold is an ever-increasing problem today and you should be wary about buying a home with mold because mold needs moisture to grow. If mold is present, there are either water infiltration problems or high moisture conditions present in the home or area where the mold exists. Most areas of mold can be found in the basements or the attics of homes. When you are in the basement take notice of the overall condition of the basement. It is important to take everything as a macro picture. As a buyer you’re looking more on a macro level than on a micro level, but you can learn many things about a house by using your wide-angle lens as you walk through the house.
Make sure to turn on the water and flush the toilets. What you want to do is determine if the water pressure in the home is adequate. This is something that even a layperson can do very easily. By turning on a couple of faucets simultaneously you can look for pressure drops. If you turn on multiple fixtures in the home or flush the toilet and the pressure drops at the fixtures there may be inadequate water pressure in the house and correction is likely to be necessary. This is also something your NJ home inspector will do; however, it is advantageous for you to understand if the home has good water pressure before you make an offer. So do not be afraid to turn on a couple of faucets or even a shower in the home that you are thinking about purchasing. A home in New Jersey is a huge investment and any additional pieces of due diligence that you can do are advantageous. Of course, this is no substitute for a NJ home inspection but do your best to try to determine the condition of the house before you purchase.
In the same vein as determining if there is good water pressure you can determine if there is good drainage. Did the toilets flush powerfully and smoothly? As you operate the tubs faucets and showers as well as the faucets in the home, is water draining efficiently from the basins? If it is not this can be an indication of a clogged or obstructed drain line from the fixture. If multiple problems exist, there can be a problem with the main sewer line which can be a very expensive problem to fix. It is important that you determine if functional drainage does exist. Your New Jersey home inspector will look for this problem however you as a buyer can also look for this problem. Do not be afraid to run water at the faucets, toilets and showers to determine if they drain well.
Look at the electrical panel in the home that you are thinking about buying. In a modern home the main breaker should be 150 Amp or 200 Amp. A 100 Amp service is likely to need a service upgrade given the demands of a modern lifestyle. Also take note of the panel box manufacturer. There are several panel box manufacturers that are out of business because of defective panels. These electrical panels remain today. Be on the lookout for Federal Pacific electrical panels, Zinsco, Sylvania, and Push-Matic electrical panels. These are out-of-date, obsolete, and unsafe. Knowing that there is an unsafe electrical panel in the home is good information to have before you put your offer in.
As you walk through the house take note of its overall condition. Are the walls, ceiling, and flooring in good condition. Is there cosmetic damage to the ceilings, floors, and walls. Take note of any significant cracking in the walls or ceilings. These are things that you want to alert your home inspector about so he or she can pay particular attention to these cracks when they perform your home inspection. You can learn a lot by just walking through a house and looking at the walls, ceilings, floors and carpeting. Are these structures in good condition or are they neglected? If these areas are neglected is likely that the maintenance of the home will also be on the neglected side. Buying a home with deferred maintenance can be problematic, it’s like buying a car that has not been properly maintained. This can be a significant issue and cause expensive problems down the road.
When you are looking at a home look at the heating, water heater and air conditioning equipment. Often you can get a sense of whether the equipment is old or newer. One thing that you as a buyer can do is to take a picture of the data plates or data stickers on your mechanicals such as the furnace, water heater and air conditioner. Data plates will allow you to understand the age of this important equipment and systems. Snap a photo and then do some research online when you get home and often you can determine the age of this equipment by spending a few minutes deciphering the serial numbers on this equipment. If the equipment is very old, you may want to tailor your offer to reflect that. If the house is being sold as is then you should understand that this equipment will likely need replacement in the near term. Typical life expectancies are 10 years for a water heater, 15 years for an air conditioning system, and 15 to 20 years for a furnace. A boiler typically lasts a little bit longer and has a life expectancy of about 20 to 25 years. Do not be afraid to do these things as you’re walking through a home. You are going to spend a lot of money on a house. You need to do every piece of due diligence which begins on your pre-offer walk-through. If this is a home, you like then you must look around and try to determine the condition of the house.
You can also determine as you walk through the home the condition of the windows. Windows are expensive. The typical window replacement is between$ 500 and 700 for a good quality window. Windows typically have a life expectancy of about 25 to 30 years. If the windows are older you should budget for replacement. Upgrading windows is important to keep energy costs lower. Older single pane windows can be drafty and are not energy efficient. If you have a set of older windows in the house, you’re thinking about buying then budgeting for newer windows is a good idea. It is useful to understand the condition of the windows before you buy the home.
When you are touring a house look at the appliances. Do the appliances look up-to-date and newer or are they older. Appliances are also expensive. Just because they are going to work now doesn’t mean that they’re going to work after you close. Look at the refrigerator, range, microwave, and dishwasher. Are they older or newer in appearance. Typical appliance life expectancy is between 10 and 15 years. Do not be afraid to open and close the doors and even turn on these appliances. You are spending a lot of money on a home. You’re going to make a good offer. Look around and determine the condition of the appliances.
Look at the attic space. Even if there is a pull-down ladder pull it down and look in the attic. Most buyers do not look in the attic. There are a host of issues that can be present in an attic. As a buyer you will not be able to ascertain or determine all of the issues, but you can look for a couple of things. Do you see any water stains on the underside of the roof or rafters? Water stains can be an indication of a roof leak. Do you smell any musty or moldy odors. Musty or moldy odors can be an indication of poor ventilation or lack of insulation and indicate mold present. Do you see any visible discoloration green, black, or white on the rafters or underside of the roof deck. These substances are likely to be mold. You should at a minimum look at the attic from the access opening. If you are unsure about the footing in the attic space or if there is no flooring installed, then you should not walk the attic. However, you can learn a lot just by sticking your head in. Do not neglect looking in the attic when you are looking at the entire purchase. The condition of the attic is imperative, and you must understand its condition.
Do you see evidence of any pest activity? Are there rodent traps or bait stations in the house? Do you see any small droppings which are usually indicative of a rodent issue. If you see rodent traps in the attic or the basement or see bait stations you should ask the seller about these problems. Rodents are dirty creatures. They can contribute to human health issues as well as causing damage to electrical wiring producing unsafe conditions. If you see rodent traps or bait stations in the home, you should ask about the problem.
Walking through a house and looking for certain cues about the home’s overall condition are certainly not a replacement for a complete comprehensive home inspection that will take about four hours for the average house. However, you is a buyer can look for certain cues in different areas of the home to help you determine if the home has been properly maintained and to get a macro view of the condition of the house. My advice to any purchaser would be do not become rushed. Do not feel time pressure as you walk through the house. Spending ½ hour to 40 minutes in a home in my mind is not excessive. But I have found that homebuyers just don’t do this. They rush or are rushed through the home and do not get to look at the home closely. If you spend 10 minutes looking through a home that you are spending over half a million on and then home inspection, you find that there are a multitude of highly visible defects and issues that’s on you. So, I highly suggest that you take the time and walk through the house and look for areas of concern before you make an offer and before your home inspection. If you do this, you will have a better understanding and be more confident in the home that you are putting an offer in and that you are trying to buy. If the home has a lot of visual defects or deficiencies, then you may want to pass. I understand that this is a challenging real estate market but how long does it take you to make half $1 million or more? You are likely to go into debt purchasing this home for a 30-year period is it not worth keeping your eyes open and doing as much due diligence as you can possibly do. This due diligence begins with your pre-offer walk-through.