Situated right in the middle of New York, Syracuse has a healthy real estate market with several houses getting sold every year due to their affordable prices. If you want to experience the city life without having to deal with huge crowds all the time, buying a house in Syracuse is your best bet. After visiting cnyrealtor.com and contacting a real estate agent, you’ll want to inspect the0020house you’re eyeing so that you’ll know if it’s worth purchasing or not.
If you’re a first-time buyer, you should bring along these four home inspection tips with you:
1.Check the roof for any signs of damage.
The roof of a house protects its interior from exposure to direct sunlight, wind, rainfall, snow, and any other outside elements that can quickly ruin it. So when buying a home in Syracuse, the very first thing you should check is the roof for any of the following signs of damage:
- Bent, broken, or cracked shingles
- Clogged roof drain
- Corroded or loosened flashing
- Rustyroofing frames
- Any other indicators that the roof isn’t in near-mint condition
However, you shouldn’t attempt to climb up the roof of the said house all by yourself as you may have a slip and fall accident that can land you a trip to the nearest hospital. Instead, seek a professional roof inspector who can check it better. Just make sure that they have the license to operate in the state of New York and they have sufficient liability and workers’ compensation insurance before hiring them to inspect the roof of your soon-to-be new home.
2. Never assume that a newly constructed house doesn’t have to undergo home inspection.
Buying a newly built house in Syracuse instead of a pre-owned one can save you from potentially costly repairs. However, you still have to check the house for build quality as some firms rush the house construction to meet the project deadline. Look for the following flaws:
- Faulty electrical wiring that can cause fire
- Poorly installed bathroom or kitchen fixtures
- Improper laying of bricks on its walls
So, even if the house in Syracuse that you want to buy is brand new, get it inspected so that you’ll know right away if you can save money by either having the defects repaired or considering a less defect-riddled home within the vicinity instead.
3.Hire a home inspector to check the home that you want to buy.
While you can technically do a preliminary home inspection on your own, you don’t have the expertise and skills needed to conduct a more thorough one before purchasing a house in Syracuse. So, instead of trying to perform a DIY home inspection, you should call a professional to do it for you. However, you should ask the home inspector the following questions first to avoid falling prey to one that might turn out to have shady credentials:
- Are you part of a home inspectors’ organization? – They should be at least a member of the New York State Association of Home Inspectors.
- What kinds of homes in Syracuse have you inspected before? – They should preferably have experience checking both newly built and pre-owned homes.
- How long do you usually take in conducting a home inspection? – The average time it should take them to inspect an entire house should be roughly two to three hours, perhaps even more than that if you plan on buying a mansion-type residence.
- Will they let you tag along during the home inspection itself? – They should be okay with you being present in the home inspection as you’ll find out in greater detail below. If they don’t want you around while inspecting the home, don’t hire them.
4.Be physically present during the home inspection itself.
You might initially hesitate to be right beside the home inspector to check the house as they may lose focus on their job. However, you won’t be a distraction at all. They’ll even appreciate your presence while conducting a home inspection – although, of course, you should be mindful and talk to them only when they aren’t in the middle of checking the roof or after they’ve finished doing the entire procedure.
When scheduling an appointment with your chosen home inspector, you should make sure that you’re available at the date and time you’ve set. In the event you can’t attend the home inspection because you’re sick or some other valid reason, you should inform the inspector about it hours before the procedure itself as you don’t want to waste their time waiting for you to show up.
Conclusion
The median price of a home in Syracuse, New York, is currently at $86,300, which is cheaper than that of a typical American house. So, if you want budget-friendly housing in a city that has earned the nickname “The Heart of New York,” look no further than Syracuse. However, as a first-time buyer, you should take note of the four home inspection tips listed above when buying a house for sale in Syracuse so that you won’t end up regretting one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make in your entire life.
