The home inspection is a really important part of the home buying process; therefore, it’s best to have a home inspection checklist prepared beforehand.
Home inspections let you check the home thoroughly, including any faults in the structure, utilities and rooms. During your visit, you could also be inspired on how you could adjust the living space to suit your preferences.
Prior to the inspection, you should prepare a list of questions that will help you make the right decision. As a responsible buyer, you must ask the right questions since some real estate agents will gloss over things they think are unnecessary for their clients.
Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, so you must get it right. To ensure you get the most out of your home inspection, our inspection checklist has five questions you can ask your real estate agent during an inspection.
Home Inspection Checklist: 5 Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent
1. What Are The Top Issues Of The Property?
This question is one of the most important questions from our inspection checklist: ask your real estate agent if the house has any issues that require a lot of capital to solve. Examples include high-cost issues like roofs, HVAC, foundation, wiring or unpermitted construction.
It is essential to know these things beforehand so that you are not left with a high expense. Furthermore, if any of these are found, you may be in a stronger position for negotiation at the end of the buying process.
2. What Is The Life Expectancy Of The Property?
A good home inspection will help you understand how the house functions and the life expectancy of the items in the house.
Your home inspection can be used to develop a timeline for future projects that you may need for the home.
READ MORE: Partially Furnished vs. Unfurnished: Basic House Furniture Checklist for Tenants
3. How Is The Condition Of The Soil And Home Structure Of The Property?
There are two major components of a home: the soil underneath the house and the structure of the home itself.
A buyer needs to ensure that the soil underneath the home does not have issues such as soil contamination or liquefaction which increases flood risk.
Another critical factor to look at is whether the home is structurally stable and not in need of significant maintenance.
4. Are There Receipts Of Annual Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Checks?
The HVAC system is a critical component to ask about in our inspection checklist, and you should be clear on the system’s condition and age.
A buyer should ask for copies of receipts showing that the HVAC system has been serviced annually by a licensed HVAC company to ensure that the property has been cleaned and professionally maintained.
5. What Are The ‘Intangibles’ Of A Property?
Home inspection reports can be very thorough but do not include the ‘intangibles’ that come with a property. This information may be excluded and can only be discovered by living on the property for a while.
Another important question from our inspection checklist is enquiring about ‘intangible’ things like the neighbours, noise, traffic around the property or any required maintenance for upkeep of the house and yard.
READ MORE: Guide to Clean and Disinfect Your House Properly
A Seamless Renting Experience with Rumah-i
Checking for any defects should be the main priority for any Malaysian homebuyers. While home inspections can be overwhelming, especially for an older home or first-time homebuyers, having an inspection checklist can help.
Rumah-i is a rental services company in Malaysia dedicated to easing our customer’s renting experience. Tenants looking for their dream home can download our Home Renting App, available on Google Play and the App Store.
If you are a landlord and are looking for tenants, you can also download our Home Renting App and start listing for free!
