When Buying with an FHA Loan, Don't Skip the Home Inspection
December 9, 2021
This wait isn’t easy, since most homebuyers are ready to just close on the home and move in. But getting a home inspection is a crucial step, and not one you should consider skipping. Make sure you hire a reliable home inspector, and watch out for these red flags.
Foundation Problems
While some cracks in the walls and floors might be nothing more than regular aging of the house, it takes a professional to know when those are actually signs of foundation defects. Your home inspector may even recommend calling in another professional to be absolutely certain whether the signs are serious, or if they signal the normal “settling” of the house. If the house is settling unevenly, it could be ripping the entire frame apart. Getting an inspection done to make sure that is not the case could save you from buying a home that leads to costly measures down the road.
Leaking Roofs
Replacing or repairing a roof can be a huge expense. A home inspection can detect a leaky roof, but that is only part of the problem. You also need to think of the water damage is causes to your home. It can lead to wood rot, mold, and mildew, which are not only health hazards, but can also cause the structure to weaken. If your home inspection comes up with a roof leak, take into account the costs of fixing all these issues before buying the house.
Exterior Issues
Your roof is not the only area where water damage is a concern. The floors and walls can also retain moisture. Caulking and weather stripping can dry out or disintegrate near doors, windows, and skylights that are more susceptible to the elements. Similar to roof problems, the problem does not go away with resealing the areas. The larger concern is the water damage already caused by the weathering.
Old Plumbing
Leaking, decades-old plumbing can understandably escape a homebuyer’s notice since it’s hiding out of view within the walls. Home inspectors know what to look for. Older pipes are likely to burst, and depending on where that happens, it can lead to a huge financial drain to get fixed.
Electrical
Outdated wiring is something that can come up in a home inspection because of what it leads to. It can cause electrical fires, and lack of electricity can leave homeowners vulnerable since it means loss of a working refrigerator, heating and cooling, and lights. When it comes to redoing a house’s electrical wiring, there is no easy way to go about it. Not only are you hiring a professional to complete the re-wiring, you need them to open up and then repair the walls as well, making it an expensive undertaking.
------------------------------
RELATED VIDEOS:
Get Your Questions Ready for Your Loan Officer
The Last Part of the Transaction Is the Mortgage Closing
Know What You Can Borrow With Prequalification
FHA Loan Articles
June 15, 2023When you buy a home with an FHA mortgage, cash for closing costs and your down payment is required. It would be easy to assume you simply give the lender cash in the specified amount and that’s the end of the story.
May 20, 2023Did you know there is an FHA loan option that lets you build a house from the ground up? You can use this mortgage to build on land you own or on land you buy as part of the loan. But you will want to address some issues comparing construction loan options.
May 3, 2023Sometimes when buying a home there may be a question of surplus or excess land. You likely won’t face this issue when buying a condo unit, but for other types of purchases, this may be an important factor in the appraisal process.
April 18, 2023Your lender is required to make sure you can realistically afford your mortgage, and that means verifying that your income is stable, reliable, and will continue after your mortgage has closed. What some don’t realize about this process is that there are standards for verifying income.
April 1, 2023FHA loan rules for single family purchase loans include guidelines for the lender to use if the applicant has rental income. Some want to know whether it is possible to qualify for an FHA mortgage using rental income. The real issue is whether the rental income meets FHA loan rules.
