Help Line

1/8/2004

Most REALTORS will advise you to get a home inspection before you buy a home. But did you know that you can take steps to ensure that you get a betterthan- average inspection?

Try these tips:

• This one may sound like simple common sense, but you wouldn't believe how many people overlook it: Have your home inspection conducted in daylight.

An inspection should include a going-over of the home's outside as well as inside, and there's no way even the best inspector can see that potential problem area on the roof when it's pitch-black outside.

• If you can't attend the inspection on a weekday, try arranging for a weekend inspection.

• Be sure to accompany your inspector on the inspection. After all, you're probably paying for the inspection yourself. Part of being a good consumer is asking questions, and you only ask questions if you're there when the inspector understand.

• If you don't like some flaw that the inspector turns up, negotiate with the seller to see if that fault can be repaired or if the seller will make financial allowances for you to repair it yourself.

• Always ask for a written inspection report. And ask your inspector to prioritize suggested repairs, so you know which are the biggest potential threats to safety, health and wallet.

For more tips on getting a thorough home inspection, call a REALTOR with your local Toledo Board/Association of REALTORS. REALTORS deal with home inspectors every day.

Guess what prompts many of the lawsuits surrounding the sale of a home? Leaky basements. Today, then, I'm going to give you several tips for preventing leaks in your own basement.

First, if your basement leaks, check your Train a hose into each downspout in turn and run water through to make sure it's draining properly.

Clean debris from your gutters and downspouts twice a year.

Late-fall cleanings are especially important, to clear leaves that have dropped into your gutters from nearby trees. A second tip regarding downspouts: You might want to extend them farther away from your foundation by using flexible vinyl tubing. In that way, downspouts carry water to a place where is doesn't threaten your basement. Also check the outside of your foundation for low-spots.

Soil around your foundation should be built up so it slopes away from the foundation. So fill in any low spots with extra topsoil.

Finally, make sure the trees and other landscaping near your house aren't growing to close to your foundation. Tree roots, especially, can cause cracks in the foundation that allow water to seep into your basement. Consider removing trees that have grown too close to your house.

Whether you're considering buying or selling a home, talk to a REALTOR with your local Toledo Board/Association of REALTORS to learn about other potential problems with your home. REALTORS are the experts at making a home marketable and liveable.