- Siding: Look for dents or buckling
- Foundations: Look for cracks or water
seepage
- Exterior Brick: Look for cracked bricks or
mortar pulling away from bricks
- Insulation: Look for condition, adequate
rating for climate
- Doors and Windows: Look for loose or tight
fits, condition of locks, condition of weatherstripping
- Roof: Look for age, conditions of
flashing, pooling water, buckled shingles, or loose gutters and
downspouts
- Ceilings, walls, and moldings: Look for
loose pieces, drywall that is pulling away
- Porch/Deck: Loose railings or step, rot
- Electrical: Look for condition of fuse
box/circuit breakers, number of outlets in each room
- Plumbing: Look for poor water pressure,
banging pipes, rust spots or corrosion that indicate leaks,
sufficient insulation
- Water Heater: Look for age, size adequate
for house, speed of recovery, energy rating
- Furnace/Air Conditioning: Look for age,
energy rating; Furnaces are rated by annual fuel utilization
efficiency; the higher the rating, the lower your fuel costs.
However, other factors such as payback period and other
operating costs, such as electricity to operate motors.
- Garage: Look for exterior in good repair;
condition of floor—cracks, stains, etc.; condition of door
mechanism
- Basement: Look for water leakage, musty
smell
- Attic: Look for adequate ventilation,
water leaks from roof
- Septic Tanks (if applicable): Adequate
absorption field capacity for the percolation rate in your area
and the size of your family
- Driveways/Sidewalks: Look for cracks,
heaving pavement, crumbling near edges, stains
Based on an
article from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the
National
Association of REALTORS®
Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. |
