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Some people are not cut out to be homeowners... not meant in a bad way.
If owning a home is going to keep you from sleeping nights it's time to reconsider.
Had a co-worker that was happy renting... traveled a lot and very social... she was the only one in her social group renting.
Two years ago she bought and regretted it very much... simple things like the water heater going out and having the gutters cleaned really weighed her down... I tried to tell her she needed to budget for maintenance... especially on a 1940 home.
Anyway... she is as happy as can be... she sold her home for 128k over what she had in it... paid off her student loans and car note... is back to traveling and says life is good.
I wouldn't be too concerned about anything on the list you have, but then again, I always buy older homes. No house is perfect, every inspector will find something. The gutters? Easy fix. Ungrounded outlets? My electrician repaired them for about $75 each. The roof? Seems normal in every inspection I've ever had. The only thing I'd give a moment's pause to would be any potential foundation issues. Can you talk with the inspector and get him to elaborate? Sometimes its hard to just look at a report on paper and even though he's reported it, is just a small maintenance issue. Perhaps he could advise you what's a huge deal and what could be just a lack of maintenance. Good luck with your decision.
The roof and outlets are the only real issues. Everything else is cosmetic. exhaust fans venting into a ventilated attic is commonplace. The roof is my only real show stopper, but you can hang a hat on non-code compliance with the outlets.
Unless there has been past experience with flooding not mentioned, I would not worry much about grading of the lot that has been dry since 1954.
You are right, I rushed scheduling the appraisal because I wanted to close the transaction before the start of next month to avoid paying an extra months rent, but I should've played safe, rookie mistake I guess...
If it makes you feel any better, we just ordered our inspection for the house we are buying as well as the appraisal at the same time. Our reason is we are buying a short sale and the bank is giving us less than 3 weeks to close. If we didn't order the appraisal until after the inspection period, we probably couldn't close on time and risk losing the property. We looked at the house twice and it is only 10 years old so I'm not expecting anything serious to show up.
Good luck with your decision. I hope everything works out for you
Hello everyone, first time posting here. I'm a first time home buyer and recently got an offer accepted, upon completing the home inspection these are the things I'm really concerned about:
1) Efflorescence viewed on the soil in the raised foundation
2) Cracks observed in the soil in the raised foundation area
Not sure why the Inspector wrote up efflorescence viewed on the soil other than to support the description of cracks in the soil. Efflorescence is basically the left mineral deposits when soil dehydrates (in this case) or other situations which we won't speak of here as they do not apply.
The cracks in the soil obviously indicate significant dehydration of the soil and is an indicator that the crawlspace is keeping dry. The significance of the drying soil comes into play if it is affecting any support columns, piers, or foundation perimeter walls. You did not mention that the Inspector had made any notes in the report regarding this. You should question your Inspector if the dehydration has affected any of these elements.
3) Stains observed on framing in the raised foundation area
This is an indication obviously of leakage from either an exterior wall penetration, from under a water group such as bathroom, kitchen, etc., or possibly a large enough water event to penetrate the flooring material above (failed water heater ??). Hard to tell from this picture but the darker, upper right area does appear have been a significant water even with the other areas a smaller issue. Did the Inspector use a moisture meter to determine if this was currently active high moisture content? Were there any indications in the report of significant wood damage as a result of the water event? Again you need to speak with your Inspector to determine what they saw when down there to gauge if this is a significant issue or a past one time issue?
4) Lot grade within six feet of the building is flat and or inadequately sloped away
Grading is very important to the health of any foundation, anywhere to help ensure that water is drained away from it and does not pool near it. Whether you can correct the grading or not depends on many different variables and your Inspector who saw this condition (we can't see the entire area) should also be able to tell you that. If grading can not be corrected there are other methods to deal with the condition.
Interesting to note that at least for the time being the grading issue is not causing any expected problems as the ground under the crawl is being reported as extremely dehydrated indicating water is not migrating under the crawl area.
5) Roof shingles are showing signs of deterioration
If those shingles are indicative of the rest of the roof then it is time to replace the shingles!
6) Gutters on the roof are filled with debris
7) Gutters on the roof are in poor condition
8) Gutters do not appear to be optimally installed from edge of roof
Gutters are rusting and they will continue to. These are not in very good shape at all and do require repairs but at this point replacement is more advisable. Even on a small home the cost of gutters can be a surprise.
9) 3-hole outlets observed throughout the building which are not grounded
Older homes obviously did not have the advantage of newer thoughts and concepts such as the Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) or third prong of the outlet. The EGC is a significant safety feature and I can tell you from direct experience IT WORKS TO SAVE LIVES! It is an item that you can deal without but you should seriously consider having the electrical retrofitted with them. Whether you pay for it or it is part of the negotiations is your choice. Even on the simplest homes it will not necessarily be a cheap item to fix.
10) A number of exhaust fan ducts terminated in the attic or up to an attic vent
The vents should be terminated to the exterior of the home either through roof vents or sidewall vents and not in the attic or into soffits tying to use soffit vents. These vents, particularly from bathrooms, can vent large amounts of moisture into the attic as well as toilet usage smells. If you have sufficient attic ventilation the toilet smells are a more minor issue as they eventually will be exhausted outside. It is the moisture issues that can cause damage to framing, insulation, roof decking, and other items in the attic. Not only can it damage these items but can also cause premature aging of shingles if the decking is not kept dry, and can be a source for mold growth in the attic area. Some homes never see a problem and some do so this condition is typically ignored until problems arise. I have seen the problems it can cause and not correcting it can potentially lead to much more expensive issues than the cost of correcting it. In this case the roofing needs to be replaced and that is a great time to correct this issue!
There are still more cosmetic things that need to be fixed, but these 10 are the biggest ones that have my worried, the house was built in 1954 so I don't expect it to be perfect, i do need it to be safe however.
I'm still within contingency period to back out if i wanted to, and that's what I'm leaning towards since my gut feeling tells me this house could be a headache. Should I ask the seller to fix these issues or just walk away? I noticed the seller already has started moving out preparing for our closing, which is scheduled for end of month. The seller accepted my offer which is $9K less than asking price but is right in line with other comparables in the area.
Thank you for any advice you can provide!
I've added comments in blue italic above.
What you are seeing are common issues we find in older homes. Some of these we even find in new homes. Any home is going to require work and maintenance especially as it ages. Once these items are repaired something else typically pops up that needs repairs. Whether you continue with the purchase of this home or not you might want to sit down and evaluate whether you are financially able to maintain a used or even a new home.
The roof is definitely going to need replacement. Next time use a lighter colored shingle. High temperatures are what kills asphalt shingles, and lighter colors stay cooler.
The only vent fan that should never be vented into the attic is the range fan in the kitchen. A fire on the stove can run up the vent and set the whole house on fire.
If the foundation is intact with no cracks, the condition of the soil in the crawl space is not relevant. What is relevant is that there is no moisture barrier on the ground. This is usually a layer of 6 mil visqueen, and would keep the soil from drying out so much.
Older homes definitely need continual maintenance. Learn to fix things yourself, or spend a LOT of money keeping it in shape. I'm looking at a new roof on my house this summer, and I put a roof on it just 20 years ago.
The roof and outlets are the only real issues. Everything else is cosmetic. exhaust fans venting into a ventilated attic is commonplace. The roof is my only real show stopper, but you can hang a hat on non-code compliance with the outlets.
Unless there has been past experience with flooding not mentioned, I would not worry much about grading of the lot that has been dry since 1954.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell
The roof is definitely going to need replacement. Next time use a lighter colored shingle. High temperatures are what kills asphalt shingles, and lighter colors stay cooler.
The only vent fan that should never be vented into the attic is the range fan in the kitchen. A fire on the stove can run up the vent and set the whole house on fire.
If the foundation is intact with no cracks, the condition of the soil in the crawl space is not relevant. What is relevant is that there is no moisture barrier on the ground. This is usually a layer of 6 mil visqueen, and would keep the soil from drying out so much.
Older homes definitely need continual maintenance. Learn to fix things yourself, or spend a LOT of money keeping it in shape. I'm looking at a new roof on my house this summer, and I put a roof on it just 20 years ago.
As a certified building inspector I can say you're both incorrect about the exhaust fan.
M1501.1 Outdoor discharge.
The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged to the outdoors in accordance with Section M1506.2. Air shall not be exhausted into an attic, soffit, ridge vent or crawl space.
As for the electrical receptacles? Yes, they are a code violation and should have been replaced with receptacles without provisions for an equipment grounding conductor. However, because most devices used by a homeowner rarely require equipment grounding is is not as grave a concern as pumping moisture into the attic. roof and gutters are maintainance issue that may be worked in the contract.
I do not order appraisals until the inspection is done and acceptable.
Go back to the sellers. Ask your inspector for assistance; there should be a page showing cost of repairs needed.
Did the home appraise at value? What did the appraisal say about the roof? Years left?
I'm in Florida but I personally consider the inspection to be the most important part of the transaction.
I also feel all parties should weigh all options and work to get the deal closed.
Also, work with your realtor. No question is too small.
I completely agree with all of that and that is exactly how I work right down to the last dotted "i" and crossed "t."
In my case after the inspection I identify the items that must be fixed, I have a pool guy and handyman who give me estimates in their fields, a window service if needed, and my Realtor helps me find estimates for anything else. Then the appraisal and estimates are attached to the BINSR which states buyer to repair all or credit to buyer at closing.
And the appraisal NEVER comes until the BINSR is completely negotiated! Until the BINSR is settled all you have in the place is your cost of inspection, in my case about $400.
I've been lucky, every deal has worked out fine. Every seller has come to an agreement satisfactory to me over the BINSRs. All were settled with a closing credit. Well.... Got one BINSR still out there but the buyers seem reasonable to me and the only issue is a broken pool heater.
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As a mortgage broker....
