New Homes: A 5 Point Inspection Plan

More and more, first time homebuyers are looking at new homes rather than ones that have been broken in by previous owners. While it's always been one of those, "Well it would be nice," types of things, it is fast becoming a must in the minds of many shoppers. Of course, you're always taking a chance when you buy something that no one has lived in. You have no previous recommendations, for one. But when it comes to purchasing, the inspection process remains roughly the same. One benefit is that you won't have to worry about someone else's furniture changing the way you feel about a place. Here are the five important things to look at when browsing.

The Structure

If you ignore everything else in the article, don't ignore this part. New homes should well be constructed and up to current building code standards, but you never know until you start knocking around. Look at the walls, the doors, and the windows. These will give you a quick reference point to see if everything was built correctly. Go to the second floor (if applicable) and jump up and down on the floor. Does it feel like you might fall through? These little tests can tell you a lot about the construction.

Fixtures

Pay close attention to the plumbing fixtures when doing your walkthrough. While it's true that they can be replaced, you never want to look at new homes with the idea of, "Well, we can always fix that later," unless you're on a strict budget and are in the market for a fixer-upper. Typically, though, a house that was just built shouldn't fall into that category.

Construction

This is a bit different from "structure". It isn't as important, yet it is worth inspecting. Take a look at the little details. The more you know about what goes into building a house, the better you'll be able to make some judgment calls in this area. Look at the tile in the kitchen and bathroom. Look at the paint job. If you start seeing signs of sloppy workmanship, understand that if it's visible to you, there may be other indications of sloppy work that aren't.

HVAC

No one wants to have problems with the air conditioning system before they even get settled in. Make sure all of the rooms stay uniformly cool (or warm, for that matter) and that the system is doing the job well.

Electricity

Unless you're an experienced electrician, you're not going to be able to inspect the wiring in new homes, but you can at least make sure there are plenty of outlets and they are located in places that make sense.