Personal Insights

Home Inspection Checklist

It’s unlikely that any house earns a perfect score, but a professional home inspector can help identify both minor and significant problems, such as:

• Grounds: Standing water, uneven walkways, trees too close or branches touching the house, an outdated fuse box
• Structure: Uneven floors, poorly squared-off door and window frames, cracked foundation, sagging overhang
• Exterior: Earth-to-siding contact; cracked stucco; curling, decaying or missing siding; flaking or blistering paint
• Roof: Damaged or missing shingles; molded, rotting, decayed, curling or patched roof; closed or dirty vents; missing downspouts; clogged gutters
• Attic: Unsealed electrical splices, insufficient or poorly installed insulation and vents
• Windows, doors and trims: Damaged screens, broken glass, cracked door or window frames, poorly-caulked joints, lack of storm windows
• Interior: Water or insect damage; significant cracks, stains, curling or sponginess of linoleum or wallpaper; inadequate cooling, electrical, plumbing, or heating systems; non-working light switches or electrical outlets; improperly grounded outlets or circuit breakers; non-operating appliances; rusted, leaking or outdated pipes; poor water pressure

To read more from our Moving Guide, checkout our Home Inspection Tips, and review our Checklist for Closing vs. Prepaid Costs before you find the home of your dreams.