What to Check Before Buying a House

Smith Top Team Realtors, an award-winning, 5-star rated father/son real estate team, stands as the #1 small Real Estate team with Coldwell Banker across all of central Pennsylvania for the past 4 years. Our reputation is further solidified by our recognition as “Best of Zillow” and “Top Agents on Zillow” for the past 5 years, highlighting our unwavering commitment to excellence and client satisfaction in every transaction we undertake.

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After years of saving up, you now have enough money to buy your own house! It’s a significant financial investment and an important milestone in your life; consequently, it can be quite an overwhelming experience.

Amidst the emotions and stress, make sure you don’t end up overlooking some of the most critical things when purchasing a house.

We’ve created a checklist of some major and minor things you need to check before signing the papers.

The Structure

When you go to survey your potential new property, check the structure of the house for big and small cracks. Inspect the bay windows, extensions and end-of-terrace walls; if you find some hairline cracks, they could be indicators of foundation and structural issues. You can ask your real estate agent to look into it later.

The Appliances

If you’re purchasing a furnished house and there are a number of electrical appliances installed in the kitchen, make sure you check if there are all working. Often times kitchen gadgets like the fridge or microwave are placed just to attract buyers.

The Entrances

Before closing the deal, ensure that you check all the entrances to the house. Inspect the main door, the back door, all the windows in the rooms and the garage. Make sure none of them are broken and are closing properly. Lastly, ask the previous owner if all the spare keys to the house are available.

The Showers, Toilets and Sinks

Sure you can change a faulty faucet in your new house, but it’s better if everything is in working condition when you move in. Check all the showers, sinks, toilets and baths when you visit the property before purchasing it. Doing so will ensure that you’re able to settle in more smoothly.

The Showers, Toilets and Sinks

The Space

If you don’t plan on buying new furniture as soon as you move in, then it’s a good idea to measure the room space and check if your current furniture would be able to fit in the rooms.

Potential Leakage Points

Plumbing problems such as water leakages can be very inconvenient. They can ruin the look of the house and cause a major blow to your budget. Therefore, check all the potential leakage points in the house—ceilings, sinks, tubs and toilets——to make sure there isn’t a plumbing problem.

The best way to ensure that you’re getting a good deal when purchasing a house, is to hire a realtor agent. If you’re looking for local realtor agents Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, get in touch with Smith Top Team.

We’re a award-winning agency with top listing agents in Camp Hill that have more than 40 years of experience in the real estate scene in central Pennsylvania. For a free consultation, contact us today!