- What does the neighborhood look like? Is there trash in yards? Broken down cars? Lawns that aren't well-kept? It sounds petty, but something that doesn't bother you today will be an embarrassment tomorrow.
- Which way is the ground sloping? Ideally the ground around the house should be sloping away, towards the street and ditches. If the ground is sloping towards the house, it's a sign of ground water pooling up around the foundation. This puts hydrostatic pressure against the walls of the house. Catching this early can be the difference between a fun afternoon spent outside moving some dirt and tens of thousands of dollars spent on a waterproofing system, a sump pump, and steel I-beams.
- Gutters are really important. Make sure that they look well-maintained. Gutters are one of the least expensive things to maintain on a home, but if they're poorly maintained they can lead to foundation issues, which are some of the most expensive things to fix on a home. Gutters should be directing water away from the house and the foundation.
- Are there any trees within a few feet of the house? If so, take note so that you can check those walls in the basement while you're inside.
- How's the roof holding up? Look for curling and/or worn shingles on the roof. This one is tough, and it might be better to hire an inspector to look at it for you.
- What condition is the driveway in? Are there cracks or uneven slabs in the driveway or walkway? These aren't major, but they are potential tripping hazards and look bad. Additionally, breaking out these slabs and repouring them certainly won't be fun.
- Does the chimney need some love? Check out the chimney from outside the house. If you can see white grout falling out from between the bricks, it could be a sign that the chimney is due for some TLC.
- Bees. Oh god the bees. If the house has painted trim, make sure to check its condition. Look for spots where bees could have potentially nested.
- You want double-hung windows. If the windows aren't double-hung, walk away fast. This isn't always a deal breaker if you're already looking to replace the windows but new windows are expensive (think $250 a window, and it only goes up from there). Outdated windows, especially in wintery areas, can double your monthly bill.
- Are all of the doorframes square? Slanted doorframes or doorframes with weird angles are a sign of foundation issues.
- Are all of the outlets 3-prong and properly grounded? Bring an outlet checker with you and pop in a few outlets to make sure they're properly grounded. Outlet checkers can be purchased for a few bucks and are easy to read.
- Do all of the light switches and fans work? This won't be fun to find later on.
- If you're in an older house, you can generally ignore cracks in the plaster. Plaster and lath walls crack constantly because of season change, and aren't typically a huge deal. Your inspector will let you know if they are.
- Area rugs in weird places? Usually means the owner's hiding something. Give it a lift and investigate..
- Urine is a very stubborn smell. Sometimes it takes more than just replacing the carpet; you often have to treat the subfloor.
- Do the bathroom exhaust fans work? If they don't make sure you check around for mold.
[to be continued...]