When you go out to look at homes, you should have a preliminary property inspection form with you. Your buyer's agent should have these handy and should provide them free of charge.
The preliminary property inspection report serves several functions....
- Forces you to see the property as a commodity, and pay attention to structure, needed repairs, etc. You can save yourself some time as you won't need to make a second appointment before writing up your offer, and you won't make an offer based solely on aesthetics, or features.
- Gives you a handy written reminder of the property for later review. If you see several properties, and two or three of them appeal to you, then you will be able to narrow down your choices, even further, by comparing the preliminary property inspection reports, which again, will help to jog your memory.
- It saves you money on unneeded inspections, because you will be looking at the house or property, more thoroughly than if you didn't have the preliminary property inspection report. So, you will notice things that could make the home undesirable to you before you spend the money on a more thorough inspection. You will only be paying for an inspection on a home that passes the preliminary inspection, thereby saving time and money on unnecessary inspections.
Some of the things that your report should list are...
GENERAL BUILDING EXTERIOR
Grounds, Landscaping, Pool, Sewers or Septic Tank, Sprinklers, Other Building, Roof, Chimney, Foundation, Wood Exteriors, Other
GENERAL BUILDING INTERIOR
Heating and Air Conditioning Systems, Furnace, Air Conditioning, Water Heater, Other Built-In Appliances and Equipment, Ovens, Burners, Microwave, Dishwasher, Disposal, Smoke Detectors, Intercom, Electric Garage Door Opener, Other Electrical Systems, Interior Lighting, Exterior Lighting, Other Plumbing, Bathrooms, Kitchen, Laundry, Other Glass Windows, Screens, Window Panes, Glass Doors, Shower Glass, Tub Enclosures, Mirrors, Other Personal Property, Carpets, Draperies, Other
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/housing/pubs/fcs436.html
Finally, always do a preliminary property inspection (on paper) and later an inspection. If your
agent doesn't present you with and help you with the preliminary property inspection, doesn't suggest that you have a professional inspection once you've decided to write an offer on a property, and or tells you to buy a home without an inspection...........as the saying goes, 'don't walk away, but turn around and run away from him (her) as fast as you can!