Past the Veneer – 5 Tips For Ensuring the House of Your Dreams is All It’s Cracked Up to Be

Finally finding that perfect home is an exciting moment, especially if it’s taken you months to find what you were looking for. Before you get too attached and sign away your life’s savings, it’s important to look at the functional aspects of the house and inspect it for potential damages, both current and future.

On the surface, the house can seem like an absolute dream.

However, lurking below the surface, you might end up stuck with a nightmare that will drain the remainder of your precious funds.

Here are a few things to look out for before buying your dream home.

Organise a pest inspection

The last thing you want is to move into your perfect home and find out the entire structure is riddled with termite damage or be faced with treating a wasp problem. There are plenty of pests that can remain undetected, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damages before you even become aware of them.

You want to be able to enjoy your new home, not worrying, fending off pests and paying for lengthy extermination. Paying for an exterminator to inspect the property before you buy will likely save you money in the long run; preventing you from making a costly mistake.

Look for water damage

Water damage can manifest itself in a number of ways.

Signs of water damage include peeling or bubbling on the surface of walls and ceilings, watermarks and mold. Most of the signs can be covered for an inspection with a bit of cleaning or paint, so you may want to hire a building inspector or a plumber to come assess the home for damages and whether or not the plumbing is up to scratch. When it comes to mold, use your sense of smell. Anything that smells a bit off could be a sign of water damage.

Climate control

For many people, efficient heating and cooling can be a deal breaker for a property.

It’s also not something people typically think of until they’re already moved in and faced with a long cold winter or a sweltering summer day. Heating and cooling is a personal preference for most people. Some people prefer the efficiency of ducted heating and air conditioning, but they are very expensive to install so you will want to find a home that already has these features.

If the home doesn’t already have some sort of heating or air conditioning, you’ll want to assess the property for access to install something. Checking how well insulated the house is is also important if you don’t want climate control to be a constant uphill battle. Insulation will also make all the difference on your energy bill.

Drainage

People don’t often think to check the gutters of a home before purchasing.

Damaged, old or improperly installed drainage systems can cause you problems and cost you a surprising amount of money.

You will want to check that the inside and outside of the gutters are not rusted and that the pipes drain into soak wells instead of just dumping the water onto the ground. Improper drainage can cause flooding and water damage to your home/property, so it is important to check that everything is running smoothly.

Check out the neighborhood

Unless you’re buying an isolated house in the country, your dream home doesn’t exist in a bubble. A noisy street, inconvenient location and annoying neighbors can really ruin an otherwise perfect house. Knowing what you want to surround your home and the type of lifestyle you want is just as important as knowing what you want inside of your home so take the time to get to know the neighborhood.

Knowing what to look for when inspecting a property before you purchase will save you loads of money and future headaches. Take a little extra time and consult with experts before making such a big investment.