Working with a Grand Rapids Realtor is one of the best ways to ensure you're not getting in over your head when it comes to buying a home in West Michigan. After all, a local professional will really know and understand the Grand Rapids real estate market and West Michigan real estate market, helping you to secure the most house for your money! Whether you're looking for your perfect, centrally-located condo in the downtown area, a family home in a bustling new development, or a quiet, century-old farmhouse in the beautiful West Michigan countryside, the staff at Pyxis Realty is ready to help you locate, inspect, and bid on your dream home! Make sure that you're buying into a dream, and not a money pit of a nightmare. Here are three important things to check when looking at a home.
3. The top and the bottom. No doubt about it, some of the most expensive repairs a home can require are roof replacements and foundation fixes. This is due to the fact that the good condition of both the roof and the foundation are imperative to the safety and livability of a house. A bad roof, in a single incident of inclement weather, could lead to leaks, water-damaged ceilings, walls, and floors, mold, and even the dreaded dry rot of the timber supporting the roof itself. A bad foundation can make a home structurally unsafe, making its repair and upkeep an urgent safety issue. When looking at a home with a damaged roof or foundation, be sure to carefully inspect the areas of damage to see how severe and widespread the problem is. You may want to hire a professional to provide an estimate of the costs of repairs or replacement. Some companies will provide a free estimate. Adjust your offer on the property accordingly, unless the seller has already reduced the price to offset the damage.
2. The ins and outs. After roof work and foundation repair, the next biggest issue will be the points of entry to the home, the doors, as well as the windows. Unless the home is new construction or has had the windows and doors replaced in the last decade, chances are good that you'll need to replace the windows and doors while you're living in the home, especially as your time to sell it draws near. While you shouldn't let a need for better windows or upgraded doors prevent you from making an offer on an otherwise perfect house, you should definitely consider the number and placement of windows and the expense of replacing them when making the offer. Additionally, you should check for damage to the walls and floors around doors and windows to see if there's been water leakage or animal incursions.
1. The water and the power. Checking water quality and water pressure while viewing a home is very important, as a home with old pipes and bad pressure may require a lot of investment to remedy the problem. Similarly, look at outlets and the fuse box, if it is accessible, to check on the age of the wiring, whether the outlets are grounded, and if the fuse box has been properly wired. Repairs and upgrades to the electrical system of a house are likely to require an insured electrician and substantial financial investment.
When you're looking to make one of the biggest purchases of your life, having a trustworthy professional Realtor with you can make all the difference in the world. Call the team at Pyxis Realty today, and see what excellent service and a dedication to customer satisfaction can do for your homebuying experience!