Brian Gongol
Location and site:
- Have you seen the traffic around the house during rush hour? A quiet street at 2:00 on a Sunday afternoon might turn out to be on a commuter shortcut on Monday morning.
- Is the street sufficiently level? A steep hill can make the house difficult to reach in a snowstorm or ice storm.
- Is the house at or near a neighborhood high point? While a house at the top of a hill carries a slightly higher risk of being struck by lightning, that very infrequent risk is outweighed by the reduced risk of basement flooding in a rainstorm as the water flows downhill.
- Does the home face south? In northern climates, the difference between a house with a driveway on the south side of the home and one with a driveway on the north side is like night and day. When the driveway is exposed to the south, it gets all the benefit of the sun helping to melt the snow and ice. A house with a driveway on the north side is much harder to keep clear.
- Does the snow have somewhere to go when it's shoveled or blown off the driveway? Some driveways have sharp walls that leave no place to put the snow.
- Does the home have more windows in the east than in the west? During the summertime, west-facing windows let solar heat pour into the house when it's already hot outside. During the winter, east-facing windows let the sun help warm the house first thing in the morning.
- Is there adequate parking nearby? If you throw a party or invite family over for a visit, you'll need enough parking nearby for people to leave their cars and walk to the front door.
- Is there a park within walking distance? Never underestimate how pleasant it is to have a park nearby that's large enough for a pickup game of soccer or baseball, or to walk a dog.
- Is the roof profile mostly plain? The more peaks and valleys in the roof, the harder it is to repair or replace in case of wind or hail damage. The more difficult the repairs, the more you'll have to spend.
- Is the siding in good condition? Wood and masonite siding tend to have more maintenance problems than vinyl and aluminum.
- Do the joints in the siding face away from the prevailing winds? Joints between pieces of siding can expose the house to wind and precipitation; if the joints overlap in a manner that directs away from the prevailing winds, the house will have better natural insulating qualities.
- Is the garage attached to the house? Especially in cold-weather climates, having indoor access to a car can make a big difference to the homeowner's quality of life.
- Is the garage large enough for at least two cars and yard equipment? Some two-car garages are only large enough for the cars themselves. Consider how much space will be necessary for the other things that need storage, like a lawn mower, snowblower, gardening equipment, and so forth. The garage should be large enough to comfortably fit two vehicles and those other items without risking damage to the cars when doors are opened and closed. A development with garages that are too small will almost inevitably have back yards full of storage sheds.
- Does the garage have a working screw-drive opener? Garage-door openers that use chains tend to be much harder to keep in good working condition than openers that use screw drives.
- Does the yard slope away from the house? A strong rainstorm can easily exceed the ground's capacity to absorb water, so it's preferable to have a house situated so that rainwater will flow away from the house.
- Is the yard proportional in size to the house? A good-looking house can seem completely out of place if it's on a lot that isn't large enough. Or, if the lot is huge, the house may look diminuitive. It's a matter of taste, of course, but proportion matters to resale value.
- Are the electrical boxes out of sight? Particularly in areas where electrical lines, telephone lines, and cable TV lines are buried, there will still be small connection housings serving individual homes or small groups of homes. It's much better to have them in the back yard than in the front.
- Is the house located somewhere other than a corner? Corner lots mean twice as much sidewalk to clear of snow in the wintertime, and inevitably, children and pets will cut the corners from one sidewalk to another, tearing up whatever grass or plants you try to maintain there.
- Are there enough streetlights to keep the neighborhood well-lit at night? Specifically, would you be comfortable letting your grandmother or your daughter walk alone from your front door to a nearby parking space without passing through dark or shadowy areas?
- Are as many utilities as possible buried underground? The more cables (power lines, phone lines, and broadband lines) hanging in the air between the house and a nearby utility pole, the greater the danger of electrocution, interference with trees, and outages during ice storms.
- Is the neighborhood close to police and fire service?
- Do neighborhood crime statistics suggest that the area is safe?
- Is the neighborhood served by a water tower (or, to be more precise, an elevated water storage tank)? A water tower can dramatically improve a community's ability to provide fire protection, even in case of power outages or other disasters.
- Does the fireplace use a gas log? Fireplaces are overrated, but for whatever reason, almost all houses in the northern United States have them. A gas fireplace is much safer and easier to maintain than a wood-burning fireplace.
- Are there screens on the windows?
- Is there a logical location for a main entertainment center?
- Is there room for a main dining table?
- Are there storm doors?
- Are the interior doors extra-wide? It's not often that one has to use the doors in a house to move large things (like mattresses, refrigerators, and so forth), but those few times can be made enormously easier by the use of extra-wide doors throughout the house.
- Is the water heater large enough? Also be sure you approve of the type (electric or natural gas) and efficiency rating.
- Is the furnace large enough? Also be sure you approve of the type (electric or natural gas) and efficiency rating.
- Does the furnace have a humidifier attached?
- Is the house free of black mold?
- Is the house free of active termites?
- Is the house free of water damage?
- Is the house free of radon hazards?
- Is the house free of environmental hazards in the attic?
A checklist of things to look for during a home inspection:
- Do all of the light switches work?
- Do all of the power outlets work?
- Do all of the windows open easily?
- Do all of the doors open and close freely?
- Do all of the cabinets and cupboards open freely?
- Do all of the faucets, toilets, showerheads, and drains work?
- Does the sump pump work?
- Do the floor beams visible in the basement appear to be in good condition?
- Does the foundation appear from inside the basement to be free of cracks and water damage?
- Are all of the windows and doors free of water damage or signs of weathering?
- Are all of the windows outfitted with screens?
- Is the perimeter of the foundation free of mud trails or anything that might suggest the presence of termites?
- Is the exterior siding in good condition? Are there portions that will require painting, repair, or replacement?
- Is the yard free of damage from moles, grubs, and other nuisances?
- Are any fences on the property in good condition?