On the first visit to each home, take a look at the overall condition and determine if this home is really a home that's for you.  Never complete the purchase of a home without hiring a home inspector.  It's worth every dollar spent and worth your peace of mind to be sure you made the right decision.

Under ideal circumstances, a home inspection will be allowed before you make an offer on a home.  However, if the seller doesn't agree to it, you should make an offer contingent on the inspection outcome.  Such a contingency will allow you to regnegotiate or withdraw your offer should any problems turn up.

Here are some of the basic tasks involved in a home insepction:

INTERIOR:

• Determines whether windows and doors protect the house from the weather
• Guarantees that there is weather stripping where appropriate, working locks on doors and that they open and close easily, and water damage can be located - especially in areas where a layperson may not think to look
• Finds weaknesses in ceilings and walls, including water stains, bulges, sags and cracks and also evaluates the condition of interior paint and stain
• Searches floors to be certain that they are reasonably level without sags or soft spots that might indicate water damage
• Checks bathrooms carefully for electrical, plumbing, ventilation and water damage
• Examines grounding and shut-off valves on all fixtures
• Test water pressure, looking for leaky pipes, loose tiles or spongy flooring
• Evaluates attic insulation and ventilation, measures insulation thickness, looks for signs of water damage within the insulation and walls
• Inspects exhaust fans and venting in the attic and structural beams that have been cut for ductwork

EXTERIOR:

• Inspects for pitched roofs, determines the condition of shingles and roof sheathing, looks for needed repairs, cracked or missing shingles, signs of age, sagging, softness or unevenness, and vent placement
• Searches for horizontal, vertical or stair-step cracks and bulges in foundation walls, inspects mortar joints and masonry
• Inspects soil, gravel or concrete around the foundation for proper drainage
• Inspects siding, windows and doors for bulges, cupping or buckling, open joints at corners, wood siding closer than six inches to the ground, water damage to trim, etc.
• Evaluates exterior paint and window panes