Buying a New Home?

[Swede]

It may be a new home......but........it may have some unforeseen problems.  Before signing the contract ensure you sign up for a home warranty.  May cut costs after purchase.  Some things to check out in home inspection:

Interior:
1.  Open and close all windows and doors and check for proper operation
2.  Turn on/off all faucets in home and check for leaks under sink and around faucet
3.  Turn on/off all lights to include ceiling fans - ensure fans don't wobble - especially on high speed setting
4.  Open up all cabinets - look for signs of water damage - especially in areas close to the coast or flood zones
5.  Check out ceilings, floors, walls, and slab for cracks - may mean there are problems with the home settling.  Seller may try to cover up with patch to be observant.
6.   Airconditioning /Heating - turn on both and hold hand to one of the vents in home - cool or heated air ought to be coming out.
7.   Attic - take flashlight - crawl up in the opening and have a look.  Check out insulation and for signs of leaks coming from roof.

Exterior:
8.  Roof - get a ladder and actually climb up and check out shingles - damaged areas may be soft under foot
9.  Walk the entire circumference of the home checking for rotted siding - I use a screwdriver and poke around -soft = rot
10.  During the walk around the home also look for signs of termites along slab - they will have a mud tunnel running up the slab - if in doubt hire a pest/termite inspector
11.  Check out the sprinkler system - run through all cycles and check for proper operation of all heads.

Hiring a professional home inspector will run about $200-$500.  If you choose this option - get some referrals and talk to those home owners and ask for opinion of products provided by the home inspector.  I recommend doing your own inspection first, then hire the inspector to see what they find.  Have they found the same problems you did?  If not was their inspection thorough?  More than one tip here - but same topic.