Many home buyers judge a book by its cover, a sometimes costly mistake. It's easy to be infatuated with a cutting-edge kitchen or drop-dead views in home that you want to buy. Don't skip having a property inspection on your dream home. Most home inspectors are licensed or certified today, but they can only report what they see. Sometimes materials defects or red flags are hidden behind walls, soil surrounding foundations or buried in sewer lines. Know what the red flags are and what they mean in additional costs or if they are not easily corrected. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers homebuyers tips on real estate red flags for homebuyers.

-In homes more than twenty years old have the sewer line inspected from the house to the street. The latest in technology offers you the piece of mind that you won't be digging up the front yard to replace the main sewer line because of mature tree roots invading and clogging or breaking it up. Sewer or plumbing companies can send a camera through the sewer line and provide you with a video tape of what they discover. If it's clean you can relax and if there is a problem, you can show the property owner.

-Cracked heat exchangers on furnaces indicate that it's a health issue and time for a new furnace. Home builders, owners and developers can put in lower-quality and under-sized furnaces that can have prematurely cracked or damaged heat exchangers. If your home inspector finds one, you better plan on replacing the furnace. From a safety standpoint cracked heat exchangers emit dangerous gases into a home.

-Under-sized or antiquated electrical systems. Many homebuyers need to learn about home electrical systems and what composes an adequate one. If a home you look at has knob and tube wiring, forget about getting homeowners insurance, move on. Look for circuit beakers in electric panels and if you see fuses in a home electrical box, plan on updating the panel. Depending on the size of a home and power requirements the electrical service should be at least 100 or 200 amps. If a property advertises a new electric service verify that in addition to the main electrical panel being updated that the electric service from the house to the transformer has also been upgraded, a common oversight.

-Fogged or non-operative windows. I've seen many defective windows in homes that have built in the last ten years. Many people skimp on windows and these are easy to spot. Water condensation fogs the space between double-layered windows. Newer inexpensive windows sometimes don't operate properly after minimal use. Metal framed windows transfer more heat and cold than wood frame windows. Many defective or obsolete windows can be cumbersome and expensive to replace. Older homes might have single-paned double hung windows that are painted shut, have warped closed or have faulty counter-weight systems.

-Leaky or end-of-useful-life roofs. If a home you are interested in has three layers of shingles and needs to be replaced, you will first have to have all the existing shingles torn off before a new roof can be installed. Leaky roofs are caused by faulty flashing around chimneys, sky-lights and roof ridges or valleys. Many newer homes have roof is

sues from inexpensive shingles have are only rated for fifteen years. Ask the year life-time rating on existing shingles on any home your want to buy. Slate, tile and wood shingle roofs are attractive but be forewarned that repairs to them can be costly.

-Cracked and bulging foundations. If you see a bulging basement wall from the inside, you have a costly problem. Hire a structural engineer to inspect a bulging basement wall . These can be material defects and should be disclosed by property sellers. Cracked foundation walls can allow ground water into crawl spaces and basements. Cracks should be professionally repaired and monitored. I've seen major cracks in homes less than five years old.

-Basement water damage. Water stains on basement walls and popped floor tiles can indicate prior flooding. If a home your looking at has a flood control system it's a sure sign that the area floods. Check for sump pumps and verify they they have battery back-up systems.

-Structural walls or floors removed. Open floor plans are the rage today and many homeowners have created them in older properties. The problem is unless the openings were framed properly and included appropriate load-bearing trusses, these ex-load bearing walls could shift supporting loads to other areas that can impact the structural integrity of the entire house. Have a qualified structural engineer inspect any questionable alterations that omitted original load bearing walls.

-Mold in attics, basements and living spaces. Depending where you live in the country mold can be minor or can impact your families health. Newer homes aren't immune to mold, in fact because they are so effectively sealed for energy savings, this can contribute to mold, especially between the walls where it is hard to spot. Hire a professional that specializes in mold to inspect for problems, offer remedies and project associated costs.

-Insects and pests. Carpenter ants, termites and other pests can rack havoc on a home. Have a qualified pest inspector evaluate your potential new home. I've seen my fair share of squirrel damage in attics over the years, so have your pest inspector check for this too.

-Buried oil tanks. You would be surprised how many oil and gas tanks are still buried and abandoned around the country, in urban, suburban and rural areas. Most states and the federal government have strict laws pertain to their removal and disclosure to buyers. If you have one on a property you want to buy, gather estimates for removal costs before you move forward.

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