First-Time Home Buyers' Guide To Purchasing a Safe Home

September 1, 2009

Here's a handy guide for those purchasing their first home who want to be certain the home is safe before buying.

New-Construction Homes:

• Local inspections for occupancy: Obtain copies of all documents and permits. This includes building permits, sewage and septic plan approvals, copies of all covenants and/or easements that pertain to the land, as well as the final inspection approvals for all the above. You should hire a local home inspector to check out the property as well.
• Special health-risk assessments/inspections for the area: Check with local authorities for such things as proximity to toxic waste sites, high-tension electric power lines, plans for both, and existing or planned air flight routes (i.e., near a noisy airport?). These can affect both health and investment value.
• Warranty: Usually a new home will have at least a one-year warranty on the structure and systems, plus individual warranties for appliances, roof and furnace.

Existing Homes:

• The first-time home buyer should ensure the safety of the home by hiring a licensed home inspector to do a thorough inspection of the premises before purchasing.
• Structural issues: Start from the basement, slab or foundation. Small leaks and cracks can be fixed, but an addition that was built without proper support (and usually without proper permits and/or approvals) can be a money pit to correct! Another area to pay special attention to is decking and porches, especially those added after the main home was built.
• Local hazards: From bodies of water that may have weed, insect or other infestations, to water and soil contaminants, you should check before you purchase a home, with local authorities and online at the EPA or the town and state .gov websites for info that may not be obvious.
• Condition of roof, windows, doors, and exterior: Ask for the age of each item and make sure your inspector explains what to expect in terms of replacement (life expectancy).
• Fuel sources and furnace function: Your inspector should tell you what to look for and how often to have your heating and cooling systems serviced. Detectors for gases and smoke may or may not be locally required but are recommended.
• Sewage and septic inspections: First-time home buyers especially need to know exactly what type of system the home has, its age and life expectancy and what the do's and don'ts of the system are.
• Water seepage and mold issues: Make certain to look in attics and basements for signs of moisture, even if the sellers' representation forms indicate that there has been no problem. Sometimes owners are not even aware they have had moisture and that mold exists. Don't be afraid to purchase, though; these problems can be eradicated by professional treatments.
• Air and water quality: Radon testing (air) should be done in any homes that have basements and in homes that have private water sources. If the home is on a municipal or community water system, local authorities will check it. If it is on a private well, you will want to have a comprehensive water test done.
• Condition of included appliances or systems, and any applicable warrantees: Many older homes offer home warranties on the systems and appliances, which cover the first year of ownership and can be renewed for relatively small amounts of money.
• First-time buyers often receive much advice from friends and family. That isn't always the best source of information, especially if the overall tone of the advice is to scare you. There are very few real safety issues that cannot be corrected one way or another, but the point is that especially as first-time buyers, you want to know what the safety issues are and who is going to pay to correct them BEFORE you finalize the purchase! A general rule would be that if the problem is in the house, it could be corrected. If the problem is in the land or the area, it may not be able to be corrected (such as noise from an airport), and therefore the price of the property should reflect that condition, so your investment in purchasing your home is safe.

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