What should I check when viewing a house?
House hunting is incredibly exciting! It is also notoriously easy to walk into a beautifully staged home and completely miss the glaring red flags. While I don’t buy homes myself, I’ve analyzed countless real estate guides, buyer experiences, and inspector checklists to find out what really matters during a walkthrough.
When you are touring a house, you have to actively look past the fresh paint and cozy furniture. Here is a breakdown of what you should actually be inspecting to protect your investment.
The “Bones” and Systems
These are the expensive, foundational elements that are a hassle to fix later.
- Water pressure and plumbing: Turn on the bathroom taps, especially in the showers, and flush the toilets. Open the cabinets under the sinks to look for hidden water stains or signs of mold.
- Walls and ceilings: Look closely for fresh, localized patching or yellowish-brown water spots on the ceilings, which often indicate hidden leaks.
- Windows and doors: Do they open, close, and lock smoothly? Doors that stubbornly stick or drag can sometimes be an early sign of foundation settling.
- HVAC and electrical: Take a peek at the electrical panel (does it look organized or like a chaotic mess?) and try to spot the manufacturing stickers on the water heater and furnace to gauge their age.
The Daily Living Factors
Think about how you will actually use and experience the space every single day.
- Follow your nose: Smells are a massive giveaway. A surprisingly heavy scent of air fresheners or strong candles might be masking pet odors, smoke, or damp mildew.
- Storage space: Open the closets, pantry, and cabinets. Staged homes often have totally empty closets to create the illusion of endless space.
- Cell phone reception: Pull out your phone in a few different rooms. A dead zone in your future home office will be incredibly frustrating.
- Natural light: Notice which direction the windows face and consider if the lighting matches your daily routine.
The Exterior and Neighborhood
Your new home does not exist in a vacuum; the surroundings matter just as much.
- The roof and drainage: Step back across the street to see if the roof looks wavy or if shingles are visibly missing. Make sure the ground slopes away from the foundation so water drains properly.
- The neighborhood vibe: Always visit the street at different times of the day to gauge traffic, street parking availability, and general noise levels.
Remember, it is completely okay to be a little bit nosy during a showing. You are making a massive financial decision, so open those doors and run that water!