January 2016 – Living In San Antonio

Home Inspections

Congratulations! You’ve made an offer, and reviewed all the documents the seller has provided regarding the condition of the home. But, one important step before you finalize your real estate offer could help you avoid costly home buying mistakes. Hire a professional home inspector to give the house a standard inspection that includes:

Room-by-room review

Exterior home components

Electrical systems

Foundation and structural components – both interior and exterior

Heating/air conditioning systems

Plumbing systems

Attic/basement/crawl spaces

Once you have arranged for a home inspection, plan to accompany the inspector for the entire procedure. You have the right to be there, and leading home inspection companies will encourage your presence. It helps you to better understand the findings in the report and will reduce post-closing surprises. Don’t forget your list of questions and items of concern.

A thorough home inspection covers more than 1,000 items, everything from foundation to roof, and takes two to three hours depending on the size and age of the property. The report should reflect the condition of about 400 items. A typical inspection can range from $300-$600

Some common items a home inspection could uncover are:

Maintenance problems such as rotting decks, paint chips, water damaged ceilings, etc.

Electrical problems (even faulty fuses can lead to bigger difficulties in the future)

Drainage problems, which could include water intrusions below the home

Roof leaks and defects from aging

Poor ventilation, especially in an attic; this is the time to assure that all vents are clean and working properly

Excess air leakage due to poor weather stripping and subpar caulking around fixtures

Failed window seals, which are routinely found with dual pane windows

Environmental contamination caused by asbestos, mold, formaldehyde, lead paint, radon, soil contamination and/or water contamination

Faulty lines in water heaters, overflow piping and/or hazardous flue conditions

TIP: Structural damage caused by water seepage into the foundation, floor joists, and door headers should be discovered at the source, and can be easily identified with a home inspection

Please call one of our professionals today!

Hello Everyone,

The housing market is a bright spot in the economy again. Home sales are at a high, and home prices in many metropolitan areas have reached, or surpassed, their previous peaks.

But that’s not to say everything is perfect. There are still some challenges in the market, including limited housing inventory in areas where there is high buyer demand.

If you’re in the market to buy a home, or think you might be soon, Hepp has some tips to help you along the way.

Know your budget: The down payment is just one part of the real estate puzzle.

It seems like a simple piece of advice to dispense, but Hepp says being realistic about your monthly expenditures will help you determine how much you can spend on a home.

Generally, in the industry, we say not to spend more than 30 percent of your household income on housing costs adding that the mortgage, insurance and any condo/HOA fees should be included in those costs.

This means if your monthly household income is $5,000, you shouldn’t spend more than $1,500 a month on housing-related expenses.

Research, research, research: After you establish your budget, the next step is to research different neighborhoods in your desired location. You can look up school data individually, or use a search tool, such as the school map on Trulia, to gather information on public and charter schools.

Find out if there is a blog or a small newspaper that covers the area (Borderstan, Popville, The Georgetown Metropolitan and The Hill is Home are some of D.C.’s popular neighborhood outlets), and read up on crime reports, restaurant reviews, public park offerings and other factors that influence the overall appeal of the locale.

Plus, you may surprise yourself by finding charming neighborhoods in more affordable areas.

Find a realtor and research loans: Once you know your budget and you have a general sense of your search area, the next step is to find a realtor. Ask for recommendations from friends and family who have recently gone through the process. Sites such as Trulia also have search engines for agents, as well as agent reviews from local homebuyers.

At this stage in the process, it’s also a good time to research lenders and loan rates to make sure you get the best deal possible. Hepp says shopping around for a mortgage won’t hurt your credit, either. If you have questions during this process, your real estate agent is there to guide you.

Be confident with your offer: Found the place of your dreams? It’s time to make an offer.

Again, Hepp says your best friend at this stage is research. Before you go in with a number, know what other comparable homes in the neighborhood have sold for recently.

Knowing the value of other homes in your neighborhood will keep you from overpaying and from coming in too low with an uncompetitive offer.

Don’t let the cooler weather slow your search: Toward the end of fall and going into the winter, the housing market slows down. But if you’re not in a rush to buy, the colder months could be the perfect time to heat up your housing search.

Cordially,

Scott Myers, GRI
Broker-Owner
Century 21 Scott Myers, Realtors – 2015 Fast Track winner as voted by the San Antonio Business Journal
11830 Wurzbach Rd. (The Elms)
San Antonio, Tx. 78230
Phone # 210-479-1222
Fax # 210-479-1981
Toll free Phone # 1-888-868-1222 Scott.Myers@Century21.com
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Check out our Blog: Living in San Antonio
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/blog/2015/06/fasttrack-winners-announced-in-under-10m-category.

Month: January 2016

Home Inspection Review

Hello,

Home Inspections

A Great Housing Market

R