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How to pursue the home of your dreams with your eyes wide open. The Home Buyer's Inspection Guide will help put you in the home that's tailored to your needs and budget. Unlike many technical handbooks that are designed for professional home inspectors, this sensible, straightforward guide gives you the practical tools you need to establish your priorities, assess the available houses before you, and make a clear-headed judgment about the one that finally works for you. The guide focuses on several major housing aspects and prompts you to ask questions and seek out answers so that your final decision is a fully informed one. You'll weigh the advantages and drawbacks of various houses in such crucial areas as:
* Asking price—its reasonableness, affordability, and negotiability
* Property taxes—their affordability and stability
* Property condition—the quality of the overall structure, the roof, the internal systems, and the probable cost of upkeep
* Neighborhood—its general appearance, the age mix, the available community, and municipal facilities
* Education—the type, quality, and proximity of schools in the area
* Energy efficiency—the degree and quality of the insulation, the cost of typical utility bills With the guide's help, you'll know each prospective house from top to bottom, inside and out. You'll then use the book s unique value ratings system, which enables you to clearly establish your priorities and to rate each house in each of the major housing areas on a numerical basis so that your final decision is truly objective. Then, just to make sure that nothing is overlooked, the guide encourages you to bring in a professional home inspector at this later stage and shows you how to deal effectively with the inspector and the ensuing inspection report.
| Introduction | ||
| Pt. I | Getting Started | |
| 1 | Choosing and Working with a Home Inspector | 3 |
| 2 | Inspecting the House Inspection Report | 15 |
| 3 | The Case for Disclosure Documents | 22 |
| 4 | The Ins and Outs of Warranties | 27 |
| Pt. II | Energy Efficiency | |
| 5 | The Energy-Efficient House | 35 |
| Pt. III | Health Hazards | |
| 6 | Asbestos, Radon, Lead, Safe Drinking Water | 49 |
| 7 | Falls and Fires | 60 |
| Pt. IV | Outside the House | |
| 8 | Buying the Neighborhood | 67 |
| 9 | From Colonials to Contemporaries: House Styles | 72 |
| 10 | Outside Walls | 79 |
| 11 | The Great Outdoors | 84 |
| 12 | Roofs, Gutters, and Leaders | 89 |
| 13 | Garages | 97 |
| 14 | Swimming Pools | 100 |
| Pt. V | Inside the House | |
| 15 | Interior Design | 107 |
| 16 | Fireplaces and Chimneys | 110 |
| 17 | Floors | 117 |
| 18 | Walls and Ceilings | 119 |
| 19 | Doors and Windows | 121 |
| 20 | Kitchens | 125 |
| 21 | Bathrooms | 129 |
| 22 | Attics | 134 |
| 23 | Basements and Foundations | 137 |
| 24 | Electrical Systems | 145 |
| 25 | Heating and Air-Conditioning | 154 |
| 26 | Oil or Gas Heat? | 166 |
| 27 | Water Penetration, Plumbing and Sewage Problems | 168 |
| 28 | Examining a Septic System | 181 |
| 29 | Is the House Burglar Resistant? | 187 |
| 30 | Termites and Other Insects | 192 |
| Appendix 1 The Worst Home Improvement Mistakes | 201 | |
| Appendix 2 Routine Home Maintenance | 207 | |
| Appendix 3 Unapproved Improvements | 212 | |
| Appendix 4 Choosing a Real Estate Agent | 216 | |
| Glossary | 221 | |
| Index | 225 |
Overview
How to pursue the home of your dreams with your eyes wide open. The Home Buyer's Inspection Guide will help put you in the home that's tailored to your needs and budget. Unlike many technical handbooks that are designed for professional home inspectors, this sensible, straightforward guide gives you the practical tools you need to establish your priorities, assess the available houses before you, and make a clear-headed judgment about the one that finally works for you. The guide focuses on several major housing ...