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Hello, ill be getting a house at the end of this year. My budget is 120k or less so pretty much means an older house. What questions should i ask the home inspector. I dont want to get screw by having a house with a lot of fixing after purchase.
I would recommend you volunteer with a Habitat for Humanity building project. You will learn a lot about construction and meet people who are work wise.
Depending on the market, <$120K generally means an older home with a lot of ongoing maintenance.
Watch the inspector and ask questions.
Any issues with foundation?
Roof condition?
Heat pump/furnace? Age?
Plumbing?
Wiring?
Mold/Mildew?
Termite, rodent signs?
Work that is not up to current code?
Projects he can foresee in the next few years?
Tag along with a notebook. The inspector will give you a written report, but it's always good to have your own notes.
Ask about maintenance, too: how will I know when xyz needs repair or replacing, and who does that kind of work? How often does xyz need servicing? What's the average life span of xyz?
Make sure he's a top notch inspector and crawls into the attic, climbs on the roof, and isn't afraid to get dirty. If you're in Chicago, I used Domicile Consulting three times!! They're awesome. They also test for radon which I think is really important if purchasing there. This company saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars because they found deal breakers.
Also ask to see if there are signs of water damage, especially in the basement.
Before hiring a home inspector confirm that they get up on the roof and go under the home. I'd also hire a home inspector that uses thermal imaging as part of their inspection process. I think Chicago has a lot of orangeburg pipe like we have out here in some older homes so you may want to see if you need to do a sewer scope.
People get overwhelmed with the inspection reports thinking there is a lot of stuff that really isn't a big deal. Ask the inspector that if you went to Home Depot, how much would this or that potentially cost you. Some things, like a washer for a dripping sink, can cost less than a buck. Worry about the big ticket items, not the piddly stuff.
I would recommend you volunteer with a Habitat for Humanity
Along the same line, I say start educating yourself about the inner working of a home. Know at least the basic. It may be reading and learning or watching home improvements shows. As a disclaimer, most of the shows are for TV entertainment but pay attention to some content as to why things should be done a certain way.
Remember, buying a home isn't just about getting it inspected. Owning a house comes with maintenance down the road. Unless you are the type that just likes to call and pay to have things done then it doesn't matter.
Remember, a home inspectors only gives you overall summary of the homes. You may need to hire more inspectors for the specifics. Don't be surprised if you pay for inspection and the inspectors recommends you get an engineer to evaluate or have a water mitigation specialist to look at damp basement.
Respectfully, if the OP has a budget of $120K inside Chicago or frankly the whole region, I would strongly recommend against attempting to purchase a free standing home. At that price point they would literally be getting something that is in such a terrible neighborhood / bad shape that it is all but certain that it would be a money losing proposition for someone with no prior home ownership / construction trade experience.
If they instead looked at condo they would be in much better shape.
As to the suggesting that the OP could learn about home repair by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, this is NOT supported by my experience -- the HforH people do some nice things for folks in tough situations BUT they generally use unskilled labor for very low-level tasks, like sweeping the floors and stacking building material inside for safe keeping. It would take YEARS of training with a construction trade school to really be able to make intelligent decisions about evaluating home repairs! The Chicago climate is such that termites are extremely rare, far bigger issues just getting home that is SUFFICIENTLY INSULATED so that one does not have crushing utilty costs...
I'm guessing it all depends on WHERE in Chicago though?
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