National Moving Month: 4 Things You Must Look For When Purchasing a Home

Not all homes are as clean as they appear to be. This is why you should approach buying a home in a very cautious manner. In this final installment our National Moving Month articles, we'll help you spot the trouble signs of homes when viewing them for the first time. The horror stories you've heard about collapsing roofs and pest infestations can happen to anyone -- don't let it be you. Buying a home is a huge investment, so be picky, ask questions and understand the telling signs of a possible lemon.

Once you've narrowed down your search, use a professional home inspector to do a thorough look-over of the home.

Photo by Napolean_70 via Flickr Roof

One of the first things you'll notice when approaching an open house is the roof. It's also one of the biggest giveaways of a home that hasn't had proper upkeep. So pay close attention to the condition of the roof and shingles when walking up to the home. Are shingles missing? Are they bent or damaged? Is the roof itself sagging or warped? If you have the opportunity, get up in the attic to check the underside of the roof. This is extra helpful to see signs of sagging or moisture. If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, be very weary.

Foundation Like the roof, the foundation of your home is expensive to replace. Give yourself a few minutes when viewing the home to do a quick inspection of the basement/foundation. Most cement foundations have small cracks -- this is normal. But if you're seeing large cracks that extend to the exterior of the home, gaps in door frames, gaps in window frames or soggy cement, there's probably a problem.

Houselogic.com emphasizes the importance of checking the structural condition of a home, "Check for leaning walls with a level. If the top of the foundation sticks out beyond the walls in one area, the foundation wall may have tipped."

Plumbing

Once inside, you'll need to check the condition of the plumbing systems -- especially if it's an older home. Turn on the faucets to check for dirty water, low pressure and bad drainage. It might not even hurt to give the water a taste test and check under sinks for leaky pipes. If these issues exist in more than one location of the home, you have the potential for major problems, including a broken water line. Bring up these concerns to the homeowners.

Moisture

Wet walls and floors are never a good sign. That's why you should check the home for watermarks, bubbling paint, or even a 'damp' smell. These signs can (and usually do) point towards mold in the home. Damp areas may also point to deeper problems, such as a leak or a broken pipe.

Do you see an area of a wall that's freshly painted? Inspect it. The seller may be trying to cover up a problem area.

Photo by seishin17 via Flickr Conclusion

Use defects in the home to your advantage to get a lower price, have the closing costs covered, or to leverage buying power over the seller.

If you look close enough, every home is bound to have its fair share of problems. It comes down to what you're looking for and how much you're willing to spend. After all, some of the best homes on the market have potential issues, it's just a matter of spotting them and bringing them up to the seller. Whether you're a first time homeowner or a family looking to expand your space, you'll never want to go into this process unprepared. Do your homework and take your time making the final decision. Home ownership is just around the corner.

WRITTEN BY

EREPLACE CONTENT TEAM

Comprised of creative, experienced video producers, writers, and graphic designers, the eReplacementParts.com Content Team is focused on using their diverse knowledge base to create high-quality informative content to achieve our simple mission: Help the world fix things. Whether it be through tips, guides, or hacks, we ensure that every piece of content includes only expert knowledge, to guarantee that you can do the job right the first time!

PUBLISHED ON December 03, 2025