Buying your first home can be a wonderful experience, filled with terror, joy, stress and happiness, and with a bill the size of a mortgage, it’s no wonder why. Many people go into buying their first house with a degree of naivety, because they don’t know what to look out for in the way of damage, or what checks to have done before making the purchase.
A lot of house hunting is one quickly, because other people are interested in buying the same home you’re interested in, so you forego the standard checks if nothing seems iffy and head straight to handing over the money. This can mean a great deal of financial woe for you later on, so we’ve put together a short article that covers some of the “absolute musts” of checks for a house you have just committed to buying.
Wiring Difficulties
As far as visibility goes, this one is a bit harder to pin down than the others. Wiring is complex; present throughout your whole house and in every room. Checking every single light switch and power point might seem tedious, but it’s required to know what you’re getting into.
If you’re paying up to and above one million dollars for a home, you want to make sure your power points work. Carry a small lamp around to each point and plug it in to test it, or if you would prefer a more in-depth analysis, hire an electrician to do the tests for you. They can tell you the amperage of each point as well as any places you could potentially put in more power points in future. Visit www.asburyelectric.com/service-area/white-stone-va/ to know more.
Plumbing Issues
Plumbing issues, unlike the other issues on this list, can have ramifications that affect the whole street you live on if not picked up on soon enough. Water mains can burst if poorly maintained or damaged, houses can be flooded if pipes aren’t properly monitored, and telltale signs in your sinks and cisterns can alert you to trees growing their roots into the many pipes on your property.
Calling a qualified plumber is the only way forward with these issues, and leaving them means they’ll only get worse. It might cost a bit to replace plumbing, but it’ll cost more if you wait until you have to replace the floors when they get flooded.
Structural Problems
The next thing to check are structural issues, though these are usually slightly more visually apparent than the other items on this list. Cracks in the walls, sagging cross beams, drafts from outside and doorways that aren’t quite square can all be signs of bigger problems, so a trusted, qualified builder should always be called in to check out any issues you find with the structure of the house. You should also have the framework checked for termites too, as these can pose a serious risk to your house’s livability.
Yard Dangers
Finally, the dangers of your yard should never be ignored, and they are more serious than might seem reasonable. Tree growth should always be monitored carefully, as large trees of any kind pose a falling risk to the houses surrounding them, and old trees should be cut down if they exhibit any signs of weakness or structural instability. As well as this, your yard should be inspected for invasive or dangerous plant species, as these can be dangerous to garden plants and children and pets, respectively. Consider The Botany at Dairy Farm, it is near to shopping malls nearby including Bukit Panjang Plaza.
With these tips taken care of, your new home is ready for inhabiting. Keep an eye on the maintenance of your home and you’ll never be taken by surprise by any bills or maintaining costs.
