Top 5 home defects to watch for

No home is flawless, but out of the tons of homes I've seen for my clients, I came out with this top 5 checklist of defects one should inspect, as most of them can be very expensive to fix and some of them quite common.

1. Foundation Problems

   The worst defect in terms of damage and cost is water to foundations and water leaking. If water is draining toward the house it will soon (if not yet) cause foundation movement and/or wall cracks. Some indications of foundation movement include out of square windows, doors that fail to latch and floors visibly out of level. Moisture in basements and crawlspaces could be also a signal of poor water drainage. In most cases, fixing foundation issues requires larges amount of time and money

2. Worn Roof

   As the roofing material ages, it lends itself to water intrusion and can lead to expensive repairs or even replacement. Look for broken or missing copings and buckled shingles as well as water spots on ceilings. If the home is a fixer-upper and you see some defects in the roof, you may want an additional evaluation by a contractor or a roofer

3. Electrical Wiring

   House fires caused by faulty electrical wiring are common. Modern homes have an ample supply of power and electrical outlets. Older homes do not. Look for antiquated fuse boxes, extension cords (indicating insufficient outlets), exposed electrical wires thay may cause physical damage, and outlets without a place to plug in the grounding prong. Extension cords places a burden on the electrical system that could lead to a fire

4. Water Problems

   Water...again! Walls and ceiling throughout the home must be water leak free. Water may leak from the exterior (worn roofs and big cracks), or from the interior (moisture stains or mold around the ceiling, walls or windows). Other problems with water are concerned with piping. Very low water pressure or banging in pipes are a sing you may have to change them and sometimes total system replacement is the only solution

5. Termites. You little #@!%...

   Termites can live inside the walls of a home, and it’s not feasible to inspect the frame of an entire home and claim it to be termite free. Homeowners may unknowingly have termites eating away inside the walls. Look for weakened or grooved wood, especially near ground level and wood ceiling. Straw-width mud tunnels along interior or exterior walls are also a sign of a termite pest. Evidence of termites is not a reason to walk away from a transaction unless the damage is extensive: when treated properly by a professional, termites can be eliminated and controlled