Buying a house is an event that takes time and money, and taking your time through the process is vital. If you are interested in purchasing a house, you will need to start viewing homes for sale. As you do this, you might find a place that stands out from the others. If you think you want to purchase this house, you might want to complete a do-it-yourself home inspection before putting in the offer. Here are some tips to help you complete this step.

Bring the Right People to See the House

If you know a lot about home repairs and construction, you can handle the job yourself. If you do not know a lot, you can bring some people to see the house. When choosing people to bring, make sure you pick at least one person with a lot of construction knowledge. Schedule an appointment to see the home when this person can go with you, and attend the viewing.

Use a Checklist

Next, you might want to create a checklist or print one to use for inspecting the home. The checklist should contain a list of things to examine during the DIY inspection. When you arrive, begin working on evaluating everything on the checklist. The checklist should include the following things:

  • The roof
  • HVAC system
  • Plumbing system
  • Electrical panel and system
  • Walls
  • Closets
  • Gutters
  • Basement or crawlspace

Inspecting each area can help you spot problems before you put in the offer. If you find issues, you can base your offer on the things you saw. 

Make an Offer with a Home Inspection Contingency

Handling a home inspection yourself is a wise move to make before putting in an offer, but you should still hire a professional home inspector. When you write the purchase offer, add a contingency that states that you want a home inspection. Your contingency should also state that the offer is valid if the inspection passes favorably. A home inspector will also work off a checklist, but inspectors know more about what to look for when completing these. An inspector will tell you things about the house that you might not notice when handling a DIY inspection, which is why you must get one when buying a house.

Getting a house inspected is one of several excellent steps to take when buying a single-family home, and your real estate agent can provide more tips and ideas. If you need a real estate agent, find one today who can help you find single-family homes. 

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