So you have found your dream home and have decided to make an offer. Most people shopping for a new home fall in love with the inside of the home because this is where they will spend the majority of their time. Very few buyers actually take the time to inspect the exterior of the home.
The exterior may harbor hidden dangers to your family and future cost to you that possibly could have been negotiated for repairs, replacement or fixing prior to purchasing the home.
Make sure you take the time to walk around the exterior of the home and take into consideration things that may be safety issues, that need repairs or replacing in the near future.
You may be purchasing a home with a basement that has daylight windows and exterior window wells. Are the window wells covered with a protective cover that will prevent someone from falling into the well and being injured?
Does the home you are purchasing have a crawlspace? Did you inspect the crawlspace entry door? If the door is not working properly, rusted out and will not remain closed, this can be a costly repair. The crawlspace may already be harboring costly repairs that you are not aware of.
To be on the safe side it is always best to have a home inspection done prior to purchasing a home. This can be helpful in determining how safe the home is prior to purchasing, and what problems need to be addressed.
It is important that you take into consideration the safety of your dream home first, especially if you and your family plan to live in the home for a long time.
