Home Inspection New Hampshire

Home inspections are done to make sure that you are buying a home that is in good condition. That being said, there are many problems that are commonly found during home inspections. These include:

Water damage. Water damage is one of the worst things that you can find during a home inspection. It can really do a lot of damage to a home. It can destroy the structural integrity of your home. Water damage can also lead to mold, which can be harmful for your family.

Bad roof. Since most people don’t get up on top of the roof when they look at buying a home, it is important that it get inspected properly. Shingles may be missed, flashing may be broken or missing, or the entire roof may need to be replaced. If the roof is bad, water may get into the home, which can lead to even more problems.

Poor drainage and grade sloping. If the outside of your home doesn’t take water away from it, it can cause even more water damage. The land should slope away from the home and not toward it.

Faulty wiring. Electrical system problems can also be bad. They can turn into fires, which can really destroy a home, so it is a good idea to have a home inspector do a thorough examination of the wiring of the home.

Bad foundation. If there are problems with the foundation of the house, it may be quite costly to fix. It may even make you want to walk away from a home.

Water damage is the most common problem that home inspectors see. It could be due to a bad roof, plumbing problems, or even poor drainage on the outside of the home.  The electrical system can cause fires so that needs to be repaired. Also, you need to make sure that the house has a good foundation, or you may just want to walk away. Contact True North Home Inspection at (603) 229-2571 if you have any questions or to schedule an inspection!

Counter Offer After Home Inspection

As a buyer, when you make an offer on a house, that offer is just an initial offer that it contingent on a home inspection. In a perfect world, the home inspection would turn up no problems with the home and you would pay the offer you made. However, more likely a home inspection will turn up some issues in which gives you the right to counter offer.

What is a Counter Offer After a Home Inspection?
After you have done a home inspection, a counter offer is not necessarily asking for a lower price. Instead, you will work with your realtor to decide which parts of the home inspection really matter to you. For example, the inspection may show the dishwasher is broken. You may want that fixed since it is included with the home. As part of your counter offer, your realtor will ask that they fix that dishwasher. Typically, on this first round in the counter offer, your realtor will recommend putting a lot more items in, since it is indeed a negotiation and it is best to start high.

After your first counter offer, the seller of the home will make another offer. In this, they could agree to repair some – though not all – the issues. They could also come back and say they will knock so much off the price in order for you to be responsible for doing it after you buy the home.

At this point, the offers can continue on, but usually you will want to make a decision quickly. Do you accept what they are willing to repair and finalize the sale or do you walk away? If there are no huge issues like roof or foundation damage, there may be some good faith money that you might lose by walking away at this point. However, it is usually not a huge amount compared to what those issues would cost to fix.

Contact True North Home Inspection with any questions about the home inspection process. Our job isn’t complete until all your questions and concerns are answered!

Radon Testing: Protect Your Health from Harmful Gas

Radon is a harmful gas that can cause various health challenges to human bodies. That is why radon testing is imperative. The test will help you determine whether your home is safe or not. Read on to learn more about radon testing.

Effects of Radon on the Body
When radon gas circulates in the air, it is easy for human beings to inhale the gas. It is a harmful substance that can cause serious health challenges such as lung damage.  Therefore, radon testing is a crucial consideration to help you know if your home is safe.

Professional Radon Testing
Since radon is tasteless, colorless, and odorless, running the test alone using a DIY test kit can be challenging and ineffective.  The radon test kit is not time-integrated. It might not get you accurate results.

Hiring a professional to run the radon test can be a good option.  A professional has in-depth training and the right certification and knows the correct test to run to get accurate results.

The radon test can either be electric or active. An electric test uses a Teflon disc, while an active test requires electrical power.

While professional radon testing may cost you a few dollars, you’ll get accurate results that can help you make informed decisions and save the lives of your family members.
A professional will run several radon tests for a while until you’re sure there is no more radon gas in your home. The radon test could take up to a year at intervals. During each test, a professional will determine the radon levels until the problem is fully settled.

The Bottom Line
If you’re planning for a radon test, True North Home Inspection can help you run an effective test that will give you accurate results. Contact us today!

Home Inspection New Hampshire

How To Win a Home Without Waiving a Home Inspection

 

In this ultra-competitive real estate market, buyers are doing whatever they can to win the home of their dreams. They have to decide right away whether or not they want to put a contract on a home. Many are paying over the asking price. Others are waiving certain things, like home inspections and closing cost fees. That being said, you should avoid waiving the home inspection because you really want to know what you are buying. But how can you do that in this day and age? Here are some tips to help.  

 

Make sure that you are preapproved. Though many get preapproved before they start looking at homes so that they know what they can afford, the truth is that it helps when you put an offer on a home. Sellers will know that you are a serious buyer and are able to get a loan for their home. They are more likely to choose your offer over someone who hasn’t been preapproved (and may not be eligible for a loan). 

 

Have a good down payment. This also shows sellers that you are serious. Though you may not have twenty percent, even ten percent is better than someone who only has five percent down. It might be worth taking a few extra months to save up even more money, before you start looking at homes.  

 

Ask for an informational inspection, rather than an inspection contingency. This means that you want an inspection, just for your own peace of mind. You aren’t going to ask to renegotiate if something comes up. You are more than willing to fix any of the problems that the inspection may find.  

 

Add an escalation clause to your offer. If you add an escalation clause, you are letting the sellers know that you are willing to pay more for the home, if there are multiple buyers. You can write that you will pay one thousand dollars over the highest bidder, up to a cap. If there are multiple offers, this makes the negotiations easier because they don’t have to go back and forth between everyone who put in an offer. 

 

Just because the market is so competitive, doesn’t mean that you have to waive your home inspection. Instead, you may have to ask for an informational one instead. This lets them know that you only want the inspection for your information. You will not be asking them for money to fix any problems!  

 

Schedule your inspection with True North Home Inspection today!

home inspection

What is a Home Inspector Looking for in an Attic?
The attic is seen as just a buffer space between your living space and the roof. It is an important structural component to the home, however. When you have your home inspected, you will find the home inspector probably spends a fair bit of time up in the attic. This is because several issues can be spotted from up there, and they can be indicators of further damage deeper inside the home. So what is the home inspector looking for while up in your attic?

Structural Damage
The home inspector will be looking for damage to the structure in the attic since it holds up the roof. This can also include checking for roofing damage not immediately obvious from the roof itself.

Fire Damage
While the homeowner needs to disclose fire damage when selling, it can be easy to cover it up. Yet, often that cover-up job does not include the attic. You may find soot, scorch, and other fire damage in the attic that effects the integrity of the home.

Water Damage
When inspecting the attic, the inspector will not only look for water damage from a roof leak, but for moisture caused by faulty ventilation or leaking plumbing as well. Typically, the attic is where inspectors find water damage if the homeowner doesn’t already know about it.

Insulation
Great attic insulation will help minimize your heating and cooling costs. The inspector will judge whether there is adequate insulation in your attic and make sure the batts are facing the right way as well.

Chimney Condition
The chimney will also be inspected from the exterior and roof of the home, but the inspector will also want to look at the portion that is in the attic to make sure it is properly sealed as well as inspect the mortar on the brick.

Contact True North Home Inspection at (603) 229-2571 if you have any questions or to schedule an inspection!

Home Inspection – What to Expect and How to Prepare 

A home inspection is quickly approaching, and it’s a good idea to refresh yourself on what to expect when the inspector arrives, and how to prepare for it!

The Home Inspection Assessment

The inspector will assess heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC), electrical systems, plumbing, attic, roof, floors, doors, windows, the foundation, the basement, and structural components. Following the inspection, he or she will write a report. The process may take two to four hours depending on the findings and how big the house is.

Sellers may have a home inspected before offering it to a buyer, giving the owner a chance to fix issues before the marketing process. Buyers are advised to pick out their inspectors and check for radon, termites, asbestos, lead piping, lead paint, and/or mold.

Preparing for the House Inspection

Before the inspector shows up, clean the house. A clean home shows you care about the place and makes a good first impression when the inspector arrives.

Be on time and try to have the house ready 30 minutes before the inspector shows up. If the house is vacant, leave the utilities on so that the inspector can check the stove, run the dishwasher, and do HVAC testing.

Leave room around the furnace and water heaters. 3 to 4 feet of space should be fine. Keep the pilot lights lit and make sure the water heater, gas stove, or furnace work. Allow for space to get into the attic, garage, and basement.

Make a path around your house for exterior inspection. Grab debris, branches, whatever may be blocking the path and move it out of the way.

Show Proof of Repairs and Plan to Leave the House

Provide documents showing any repairs that have been made around or to the house. Give the buyers and the inspector a few hours to look over the house and take any kids or pets with you when you leave. Some buyers may not feel comfortable with the owner being present, so be ready to leave the house for a few hours.

 Reach Out to Us for Your Home Inspection Needs

After we walk through the home together, we will explain the general condition of the home and systems with you and your agent. We will talk through any major issues that need to be addressed sooner rather than later. Whether you are a buyer or seller, schedule your inspection with True North Home Inspection today!

Why Is There Radon In My Home? 

The results of an inspection may reveal something no homeowner wants to deal with: radon. Radon is present at toxic levels in many houses throughout the US, but its discovery within your own home is particularly unsettling. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a wealth of data relating to radon and the health risks it poses, so action must be taken. An understanding of how radon functions show that homeowners must regularly monitor the levels in their house. Read on to learn how unsuspecting homeowners find themselves with a radon problem and how to prevent the health consequences of its presence.

What is radon? 

Radon is a naturally occurring element that results from chemical processes taking place in the earth’s crust. It is a colorless, odorless gas that is toxic when present at high concentrations. Though radon exists at low levels in nearly all the air we breathe, it can reach toxic levels if allowed to accumulate in buildings.

How did it get in my house? 

As the ground under your home releases radon gas, it slips through cracks and holes in the foundation of the building. Gradually, this process can result in a toxic concentration of radon. Homes are excellent at trapping this element within its walls, so the process can reach severe levels of toxicity before the homeowner is aware of a problem. It is critical homeowners understand all houses are susceptible to concentrated levels of radon, whether it has a basement or not.

What can be done? 

As the ground shifts and your home ages, gas accumulation can change and increase the potential for toxic exposure. Accordingly, the EPA recommends testing your house for elevated radon levels approximately every two years. There are simple solutions to ensure your home and health are protected from radon poisoning if concentrated levels are found. Radon mitigation systems are relatively inexpensive and very effective at removing this toxic gas from your living space.

Radon toxicity is an alarming reality for many homeowners around the country. Thankfully, peace of mind is achievable through regular testing done by qualified professionals. Please Contact True North Home Inspection today with any questions about radon testing or to schedule a radon test.

Do You Need to Be Present For A Home Inspection?

Whether you are buying a home or a seller getting a property ready for sale, a home inspection is a must. A home inspection gives a detailed report on even minor issues that may be deal breakers for some or even make the property unsafe. However, do you actually need to be present for the home inspection?

Benefits of Attending Your Home Inspection

It is not mandatory that you attend your home inspection. The process can go on without anyone present at all, and you will be left a report of all the issues. However, all home inspectors strongly recommend that you do attend because of the number of benefits your physical presence offers.

Explanation of the Issues In-Person

The biggest benefit of attending your home inspection is that the home inspector can explain issues to you as they find them. The report lets you know what is wrong, but the home inspector will be candid enough to tell you how big of an issue that is and potential problems it will cause if you leave it that way.

Questions Asked and Answered

A home inspector has seen a thing or two when it comes to home problems. Particularly for home buyers, being able to ask them questions about a property, as a pretty neutral party in the matter, can be great when helping you make a decision.

Learning the Ins and Outs of a Property

Home inspectors learn about a property quickly because they have a lot to check. Often they can introduce you to important elements like gas and water shut offs. If you do buy the home, it is really quite important to know where these are.

While it is not required to be present at a home inspection, typically you want to make the time if you can. Home buyers in particular will find it a major benefit in the home buying process.

Contact True North Home Inspection at (603) 229-2571 to learn more about home inspections or to schedule your inspection.