The Home Inspection               A home inspection is a thorough inspection that evaluates the structural and mechanical condition of a property.  When you make an offer on a home, it's a good idea to make your offer contingent on a home inspection, conducted by an independent authorized inspector. You will have to pay for this inspection yourself, but it could keep you from buying a house that will cost you far more in repairs, down the road. If you are satisified with the results of the inspection, then your offer can proceed. If you aren't,you may want to negotiate, asking the seller to pay for certain repairs or asking for a lower price. I have had the pleasure to work with a number of home inspectors in the Lima area.  If you need a recommendation, please feel free to contact me.
What Your Home Inspection Should Cover
	Siding: Look for dents or buckling
	Foundations: Look for cracks or water seepage
	Exterior Brick: Look for cracked bricks or mortar pulling away from bricks
	Insulation: Look for condition, adequate rating for climate (the higher the R value, the more effective the insulation is)
	Doors and Windows: Look for loose or tight fits, condition of locks, condition of weatherstripping
	Roof: Look for age, conditions of flashing, pooling water, buckled shingles, or loose gutters and downspouts
	Ceilings, walls, and moldings: Look for loose pieces, dry wall that is pulling away.
	Porch/Deck: Loose railings or step, rot
	Electrical: Look for condition of fuse box/circuit breakers, number of outlets in each room
	Plumbing: Look for poor water pressure, banging pipes, rust spots or corrosion that indicate leaks, sufficient insulation
	Water Heater: Look for age, size adequate for house, speed of recovery, energy rating.
	Furnace/Air Conditioning: Look for age, energy rating. Furnaces are rated by annual fuel utilization efficiency; the higher the rating, the lower your fuel costs. However, other factors such as payback period and other operating costs, such as electricity to operate motors.
	Garage: Look for exterior in good repair; condition of floor—cracks, stains, etc.; condition of door mechanism.
	Basement: Look for water leakage, musty smell.
	Attic: Look for adequate ventilation, water leaks from roof.
	Septic Tanks (if applicable): Adequate absorption field capacity for the percolation rate in your area and the size of your family.
	Driveways/Sidewalks: Look for cracks, heaving pavement, crumbling near edges, stains.
Also be sure to ask your home inspector the following questions:
	What are your qualifications? Are you a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors or National Associaton of Home Inspectors?
	Do you have a current license? Inspectors are not required to be licensed in every state.
	How many inspections of properties such as this do you do each year?
	Do you have a list of past clients I can contact?
	Do you carry professional errors and omission insurance? May I have a copy of the policy?
	Do you provide any guarantees of your work?
	What specifically will the inspection cover?
	What type of report will I receive after the inspection?
	How long will the inspection take and how long will it take to receive the report?
	How much will the inspection cost?