Home Inspections – Taking a Closer Look
If you are looking to buy a home at the Lake of the Ozarks, congratulations! At Your Favorite Real Estate Team, we know what an exciting time it is for you. Once you find the property that is right for you and you are ready to make an offer, there will be several important steps in the process. One key step will be your home inspection. Of course, you will not want to skip having a professional home inspector look over the entire home. But for some, you may want to go the extra mile to have some additional inspections done to make sure you are doing your due diligence when making one of the biggest investments in your life. As real estate experts at the Lake of the Ozarks, we have learned a lot over the years. If you would like to know a few things you might consider having inspected beyond your standard home inspection, keep reading this blog!
Electrical
Faulty electrical issues are dangerous and sometimes they can be hidden or less obvious. Knowing you have the right size breakers, the right kind of wire, and that everything is hooked up correctly is critical to safeguarding your home and your family. An electrician has more experience in troubleshooting hidden electrical safety hazards than a home inspector does.
Roof
Your standard home inspector will be able to tell if the shingles are old or worn, but will he or she notice if the roof has been installed incorrectly? A professional roofer will, and most reputable companies offer free inspections.
HVAC
Having an HVAC technician look at the system of the home you
want to purchase can give you an idea of its condition and how well it has been
maintained. They can also let you know what
repairs may be necessary in the near future and what those might cost.
Foundation
The foundation is another part of the home that can be extremely expensive to repair, depending on what the problems are. There are times when having a foundation specialist or engineer look at your home and its additions is a great idea. Many homes at the lake started out as cabins to which multiple additions or decks have been added over the years. If those additions were not done professionally or properly, there may be structural issues that you will need to be aware of.
Septic
Living at the Lake of the Ozarks means there are a lot more
regulations and requirements that must be met when it comes to your septic
system if you live on or near the water.
Costs for septic systems can range from $5,000 to $30,000 or more, and
that can be a dealbreaker. Having a septic
professional inspect the system and use a camera to look inside laterals for
tree roots and breaks can be invaluable when deciding on whether to buy a home
at the lake.
Plumbing
An inspector will assess the overall condition of the plumbing, but a professional plumber may be able to know a water line is broken within a wall or crawl space even though the leak or break is not visible. If you are purchasing the house as a second home, water problems may go on for weeks before you come back to your lake home to notice, and that can lead to very costly damage. So, taking a closer look at the plumbing and water systems can be well worth it.
Wood Destroying Organisms (WDO)
Just finding wood damage or termite trails does not necessarily mean there is an active colony of WDOs. On the flip side, even if there are no outward signs of termites or other WDOs, they can still be feasting on the wood in your house without being obvious. Pest control specialists know exactly what signs to look for and what to do if they find an infestation.
Mold
Mold is another thing that could be a devastating expense to
fix, or it could be easy to remediate, depending on what kind of mold it
is. You don’t want to be scared away from
buying a house if the mold problem is easily fixed, but you also don’t want to
be stuck with a house that has black mold and needs extensive remediation to be
livable. It is best to know for sure by asking
a specialist and having peace of mind knowing exactly what you are dealing with.
Radon
Even though radon is the highest cause of lung cancer next to smoking, it is something that is often left untested. You won't have time to do a long-term test before closing on your house, so it is good to ask the seller if they have had one done. But if not, short-term DIY tests are available. They take about 48 hours and can be sent to a lab for results.
Happy House Hunting From Your Favorite Real Estate Team!
We know it may seem like overkill, but we have seen these
extra inspections save clients from overpaying thousands of dollars for the home
they want. Before you close on a house at the Lake of the Ozarks, consider taking these steps to safeguard
your investment. At Your Favorite Real Estate Team, we don’t want you to have to worry about repairs or problems
as soon as you purchase your home. Whenever
you are ready to start your home search at Lake of the Ozarks, we are
here to guide you through the entire process.
Just give us a call at the number below and be sure to follow us on our
social media channels listed below for more information on real estate at the Lake of the Ozarks!
CONTACT ED SCHMIDT FOR ALL YOUR LAKE OF THE OZARK REAL ESTATE NEEDS
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