In Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, Snyder and Colorado City, or for that matter most areas of the South Plains and Permian Basin, we have seen just about everything you could imagine in a property inspection process. We love to help our client's make informed decisions, and that's why we'd love to share this info!
So you are looking for the "perfect" home, and you've found one that is within your price range and in a nice neighborhood. Now it's time to tour the home to see what's inside! So, what you should be wary of prior to making an offer? From a home inspector's point of view, there is not much that would discourage me from purchasing a home; at this point, I've inspected around 4000 homes, so it's very rare for me to see something that surprises me. That said, you are not in the same situation, which might be why you're reading this! Here are a few things that I see from time to time that might make me want to know more about the home if I were a buyer: 1.New cosmetic details on an older home. Let's be real, homes from the 60's didn't have an "open floor plan". If I see a home like this, I wonder how it was done, who did the work, and did they receive the required permits? Unfortunately, the answers to those questions are usually: Wrong, Someone that didn't know what they were doing, & NO. The new cosmetic details can be much simpler, like new interior doors, crown molding, baseboards, flooring, paint, texture. All of these things can certainly make the home look nice, but these items are also cheap and don't require a licensed pro to perform their installation. This means that it was almost certainly cheaper for this work to be done and it also makes a big impression on a potential home buyer. We are visual creatures, so it looks nice and therefore our brain says it must be nice! Almost every home I've inspected that meets the above criteria had numerous significant defects that weren't readily visible without a home inspection! Yet another reason a Double C Home Inspection is crucial. 2. New texture/paint on walls. In any home where you see this, just know that there was a reason this repair was completed. Maybe the damage was innocent, like a chair falling over and hitting a wall, putting a hole in the wall. But sometimes, we see homes where the repair was not so innocent! Texture is a great camouflage for termite damage. The texture will dry and harden once applied and being able to visually establish that termite damage is present becomes nearly impossible! This is why Double C Pest www.doublecpest.com/ provides Termite inspections AND Termite treatments! 3. Septic systems. Septic systems are a perfectly acceptable means of treating waste water. Millions of septic systems exist nationwide. However, we find that the majority in West Texas have not been properly maintained. You would be surprised to know how many home owners don't even know where their septic tank is! How can you maintain something you own if you don't know a thing about it? This is why Double C Home Inspections provides septic system & also sewer camera inspections as an optional service! 4. Older home with big trees in the yard. Let's be real, a tree that manages to survive decades in West Texas is a force to be reckoned with! Sometimes, said tree survives in a yard by finding the sewer drain line under the home and working it's roots into the line. This is why Double C Home Inspections provides sewer camera inspections as an optional service! You would not believe how many homes have some sort of plumbing problem that is completely unknowable without the use of this service! 5. Finally, look around at the home's interior and see if you see small dark stains around light switches, electrical outlets, lights, etc. This could mean that the home has or has had a serious ROACH infestation! Along those lines, if you see live bugs during your tour, this may be a sign that the home has a pest problem! Think about it, how often do you see live roaches? This is because they are generally a nocturnal pest, so live ones in the day time mean they are either fearless or desperate; either of these are bad signs. This is why Double C Pest www.doublecpest.com/ provides a complete pest management plan to fit your needs! The most important part of a home purchase is the home inspection! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise! Cale Cameron
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AuthorCale Cameron Archives
January 2025
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