Real Estate Inspection - Do Your Own

Why should you do your own real estate inspection? To get a better deal. It isn't necessary to learn building codes, and you probably should use a professional inspector in any case. The point of learning what to look for is to have negotiating points.

Home Inspection Checklist

With a good inspection checklist, you won't forget things. There are more than a hundred items on my own list. Could you keep all those in mind as you walk through a property? Did you remember to look for water stains on the basement walls the last time you looked at a house? Bring a list!

A good list is organized by area of the house, usually starting outside. As you walk around and then through the home, check each item on the list. Be sure to take notes. If the gutter is coming loose on the side of the house, write that down, along with notes about rotten wood or anything else associated with it.

Don't worry if you don't know the difference between 12-gauge and 14-gauge wiring. The point isn't to become an expert on all the building trades, as useful as that would be. Just use what you do know. Note if something looks "odd" or "smells funny." Then you can have a professional inspector have a closer look.

Real Estate Inspection As A Negotiating Tool

You can, of course, just make an offer on a home with an inspection clause. Then, after an inspector goes in, you can re-negotiate the price based on his findings. This is a common way of doing it. The problem is that it can often offend the seller, and blow the deal. Would you like somebody to drop their offer by $10,000 after they already put it in writing?

A better way is to find as many problems with the property as you can, BEFORE making the offer. That way you can take all of these things into account. Also, a list of the problems presented with an offer is a good impersonal (therefore non-offensive) way to negotiate a lower price.

You don't have to be a carpenter to note that a railing is loose. You can see if a home needs new paint. Real estate inspection can start with simple things like these, and end with a better price for you.

Steve Gillman has invested real estate for years. For a complete home inspection checklist, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

---

The Real Estate Cycle

The real estate cycle, like the business cycle, refers to... Read More

Grab Quick Profits As Real Estate Prices Soar

Real estate values rise and fall in cycles. Currently home... Read More

How to Get Financing after Filing Bankruptcy

If you're thinking about buying a home but have declared... Read More

Buying a Newly-Built Home? Ten Benefits of Using a Real Estate Professional

It might not seem necessary to involve a real estate... Read More

Conditions Are Right For Buying The Higher Priced Home You?Ve Always Wanted

Higher interest rates and home prices in the past have... Read More

Real Estate Investing: Beware of Subject To Promises

Another real estate writer's mini course, full of promises and... Read More

Using The Internet In Your Lease Purchase Business

First you need to find a list of For Sale... Read More

How Can the Average Person Build Wealth in Real Estate?

Books on real estate are a dime a dozen-and most... Read More

Real Estate Growth: How Long Will It Last?

There has been speculation in the media recently about the... Read More

How You Will NOT Make Money in Real Estate

We all have seen some book called "How I Turned... Read More

Making Money In Real Estate - 10 Ways

Making money in real estate is an endless topic that... Read More

What Should You Do If Your Home Isn?t Selling?

It can be very frustrating to put your home on... Read More

Buyers Closing Cost

Buyers, borrower, closing costs can be divided into two categories.... Read More

For Sale By Owner Listings

Selling your home on your own, without a Realtor, is... Read More

10 ?No Money Down? Ways to Buy Real Estate

Turn the Television on any Sunday morning and you'll find... Read More

Real Estate Appraisal - Rental Properties

Real estate appraisal for rental properties isn't the same as... Read More

Dealing With Dual Real Estate Agents

Historically, real estate agents have represented the seller of a... Read More

What are the Top 11.5 Criteria for Selecting an Orlando Investment Property

1. Make sure units are larger than 1800 square feet.This... Read More

How to Choose the Proper Entity for Your Business

First, let me state that I'm not an attorney and... Read More

Salt Lake City Real Estate

From the mountains to the valley, there are many types... Read More

Buying a Home with Zero Down Payment in Irvine, CA

Years ago, the only person that could buy a home... Read More

Buying a Home: The 5 Biggest Mistakes that a Home Buyer Makes

As a Professional Real Estate Inspector I get to see... Read More

Real Estate: Financial Considerations $$$

Raw land as opposed to improved property is much more... Read More

Real Estate Local FAQs.

There are many frequently asked questions and any local real... Read More

How Long Your Mortgage Runs Determines How Much You Pay

The first thing most of us think about when the... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Flipping Houses

If you're dreaming of making money in real estate, it's... Read More

Not Everyone is Buying or Selling, Some are Doing Both

As if one real estate transaction is not hectic enough?... Read More

The Secret to Maximum Real Estate Profits: Lighting

Lighting is the most important detail of interior Design Psychology... Read More

Selling a House is Easy

The thought of selling a house strikes fear into most... Read More

Choosing Your REALTOR ®

With so many realtors competing for your business, how do... Read More

Purchase Your First Home with Confidence

If you are making the transition from renter to homeowner,... Read More

10 Tips for Investing in Distressed or Foreclosed Properties

1. Search on the world wide web for distressed or... Read More

Real Estate for Beginners: Residential Property Taxes

Whenever you own a piece of land, you will be... Read More