With the housing market booming in most communities, contractors can’t seem to build homes fast enough. Given the current real estate market, many buyers are skipping home inspections to expedite their offer and make it more desirable.  Since it’s not always advisable to skip this step, we encourage your HOA to share these seven tips and tricks with new homeowners to help them ensure their new home is safe and any existing issues are dealt with quickly.

  1. Bring an inspector out to check the condition of the roof. Most roofs should last 20-30 years, but don’t let a “new build” fool you into compliancy. With how fast homes are built, you want to make sure no short cuts were taken on your roof.
  2. Check insulation depth in the attic. Most homes, even new ones, don’t have adequate insulation or even coverage. If you see low spots, or even bare spots, hire someone to blow in extra insulation. You’ll save hundreds in heating and cooling costs.
  3. Check for cracks in the foundation, walls and concrete patios/driveways. While most cracks are purely cosmetic and the result of natural settling, tree roots can cause cracks that lead to bigger headaches. Removing the tree(s) will cost a few hundred but save you thousands of dollars in foundation or driveway repairs.
  4. Overgrown landscaping around the house is another thing to look for and remove. Too many shrubs or allowing them to get too large encourages bugs and causes water to collect near or on the house. Keep them trimmed.
  5. Check downspouts to make sure they effectively remove water from the house and away from the foundation. You never want to have water pooling near the foundation as it will cause damage and possibly leak into crawlspaces
  6. Check all sinks and toilets for loose fittings/signs of leaks. Most leaks start small and over time can cause major damage.
  7. Always check the condition of outlets and the breaker box. It’s best to have a licensed electrician test things to make sure it’s all in order.

A safe home is a welcoming home, so we hope you’ll share these tips with homeowners in your community.

Related: Home Repair Scams and How to Avoid Them

While new homeowners should walk though this list, it’s a good for any homeowner to walkthrough as well. Over time, fittings become loose, plants grow, and roofs wear. Taking the time to look over a property for any developing issues will save homeowners time and trouble, and will ultimately help to maintain curb appeal. If you have any questions regarding your home, we at Spectrum are happy to help!