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New Jersey Home Buyer's Tips:

Here are some things to keep in mind when in the market for a new home. One of the biggest mistakes that a home buyer can make is to continue to look for that "ideal" house while passing up perfectly good houses in the process. If this is your first house, chances are it will not be the last one that you will buy. As you delay your purchase, home prices will probably continue to rise and quite possibly, interest rates will too.

Having stated that, you should not rush into the biggest financial transaction of your life without careful consideration. For this reason, we have highlighted most of the major items that you need to consider when looking to buy. With good planning, you can join the millions of other families who own their own homes and are taking advantage of the many benefits that are available to home owners.

Starting with the obvious: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

What kinds of things are important to you? Will you be near stores, schools, parks, restaurants, theaters, supermarkets? Do you mind being on a busy street or would you rather be on a quiet cul-de-sac? Is the house near public transportation? How far is it to work?

PREFERENCES:

Rate each of the following as: A - must have, B - high priority, C - medium priority, D - low priority.

___ Style of house - one story, two story, split level, etc.
___ Size of yard
___ Number of bedrooms
___ Number of baths
___ Bath in master bedroom
___ Eat-in kitchen
___ Separate dining room
___ Basement (Do you want a finished basement?)
___ Fireplace
___ Garage (1 car, 2 car)
___ Windows in the kitchen
___ Windows in the bathrooms
___ Plenty of sunlight in the other rooms
___ Maintenance free windows, gutters, trim, siding
___ Lots of closet space (walk-in closets)
___ Adequate storage (attic, crawl space, etc.)
___ Trees on the property and in the neighborhood
___ Children in the neighborhood
___ Air-conditioning
___ Type of heating system
___ Porch or deck
___ Dishwasher, garbage disposal
___ City water or well water
___ Septic system or sewers
___ Fuse Box or Circuit Breakers

Many of us look forward to the day when we can purchase our home. We save diligently, attend home buying seminars and carefully study the interest rates of lenders. However, what most people probably haven't given much thought to is how they will eventually choose the most important element of the home buying process, your professional Home Inspector. Like most people, when the time comes to choose a home inspector you will probably ask your real estate agent for a recommendation.

Many lawsuits involving negligence on the part of home inspectors involve those sales where the inspector was recommended to the buyer by a real estate agent?  Check out: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/decisions/appellate/a6252-99.opn.html : 

It is a dirty little secret in the industry that some real estate agents recommend only inspectors they feel will minimize any potential problems. Inspectors, like my self who have the buyers best interest at heart and refuse to minimize issues seen, are termed "DEAL KILLERS" and are rarely referred by this kind of real estate agent. Sadly, it is the unsuspecting buyer who suffers for this practice and one of the reasons why leading consumer advocates, the American Society of Home Inspectors and the National Association of Home Inspectors advise against buyers choosing their inspector based on a real estate agents referral alone.

That is you they need me. I don't play that game and never have. I have been in business in West Paterson since 1993 and have inspected more than 5,000 homes and condominiums in the area. I'm well known in the inspection industry and am one of a half dozen or so Home Inspection instructors for the State Licensing program.

While I will accept referrals from a select few professional real estate agents, my loyalty remains to the buyer, not the referring real estate agent. I refuse to take future referrals from any real estate agent who attempts to influence how I inspect and report findings during an inspection. Today, the vast majority of my referrals comes from attorneys and satisfied customers. The only real estate agents I accept repeat referrals from are those that I know to be honest and who won't attempt to manipulate my findings. I work for my clients and only my clients.

Empowering my clients with enough information to make a well-informed decision about their home purchase is my only concern when conducting an inspection. I realize it isn't enough to simply look at the home and tell my clients what I find wrong, I also need to educate them about the home, so they can properly maintain it and thus preserve its future value.

My typical inspection takes a couple of hours. I thoroughly inspect the entire exterior, roof, chimneys, decks, foundation and drainage, and then the interior and major systems, including the fireplaces, electrical, heating, hot water and plumbing systems. I also enter and inspect all accessible attics and crawl spaces. I don't issue vague reports. My findings are explained carefully in easy to understand language and thoroughly documented in a professional report I type up that very night. The next morning your report is mailed, e-mailed or faxed to our client, their attorney and you wish to your real estate agent.

My inspection report will be technically correct and conducted competently. I have had clients who were licensed architects, engineers, realtors, lawyers and builders who have told me they learned a great deal during one of my inspections!

So, you are in the market for a new home and truly need and want a Professional Home Inspector, one who puts your clients interest above future referrals from real estate agents, call me to schedule their next home inspection. If you are not buying now, keep me in mind when you are I promise you, that you will be glad that you did.

Thank you for taking the time to review this information. I hope to be hearing from you when you make your next home purchase.

Accurate Inspections, Inc., Michael Del Greco, President, New Jersey Home Inspector License # GI01210, American Society of Home Inspectors Member #102273 (973) 812-5100 - Your call will always be answered by a trained professional.

www.AccurateInspections.com

EXAMINING THE HOME:

Note: If any of the following items are unacceptable, it doesn't necessarily mean that you should not buy the house. You can negotiate the cost of the repairs and/or negotiate the price.

Remember, there is no such thing as a perfect house. As any home owner will tell you, something is always in need of fixing or upgrading. What you want to do is protect yourself from any unexpected large expenses. You should also arrange for a home inspection to be made by a professional prior to your purchase.

OUTSIDE:

Do not just rely on your impression upon seeing the home for the first time. In looking beyond the "curb" appeal, you may be able to get a great deal on a home that can be enhanced with just a few improvements. Things like bushes that aren't trimmed or an unkempt lawn are two examples of improvements that can be made with a minor investment of time and money.

The home inspector will point out some of the following items, but it's a good idea to be aware of them before you make an offer on a home. (The home inspector is normally contacted after an offer is made.)

Ask the age of the roof and whether it leaks. An old roof or one that has several layers of shingles can mean an expensive repair in the near future. A properly ventilated attic or crawl space will extend the life of a roof. (A roof can usually have 2 to 3 layers of shingles before it needs to be completely replaced.)

Check the gutters. Are they pulling away from the house?

Check the foundation. Look for signs of water or wetness in the basement. Vertical or diagonal cracks in the foundation are not usually serious, but horizontal cracks can be.

Windows and doors should open and shut easily.

Check the caulk around the windows and doors.

What's the condition of the siding? Will it need to be replaced soon?

Are the outside steps pulling away from the house?

How is the driveway? (Unless they are new, blacktop driveways will usually have some cracks. Look for major cracks and large pieces of missing blacktop.)

Is the landscaping in good condition?

INSIDE:

What is the floor plan like? Is it suitable for your family? How about the room sizes? Are they big enough ... or too big?

Check the water pressure by turning on several faucets at the same time, and flushing the toilet.

Check under the sinks for water leakage.

Check for signs of water on the ceiling and walls (stains and peeled paint).

Check the number and location of electric outlets.

Ask about insulation in the house.

Are there stains in the tub or sinks?

How old are the appliances and utilities (hot water heater, furnace, dishwasher, washer, dryer, stove, refrigerator, air-conditioner)? A furnace
can last from 25 to 30 years. An air-conditioner will last for about 15 years. A hot water heater will last about 10 years. These are just estimates. The life span of any appliance depends on how well it was made and whether it has received proper maintenance.

Remember, if you like a home that is in need of repair, you can negotiate the cost of repairs and/or the cost of the home. Don't just walk away from a potentially good buy.

FINANCIAL:

What are the average monthly utility bills?

How much are the real estate taxes? Has there been an increase lately or is the area due for a reassessment?

Are there any major repairs needed in the near future?

Can you afford the monthly payments? Check the functions provided in this software program.

GENERAL:

Ask your realtor about a home warranty program. This will protect you, the buyer, if any of the major appliances breaks down within a given period of time.

Ask your realtor for a "report card" of the local schools.