There is a group of ‘do it yourself’ or ‘we need to save money’ folks who – decide to take a chance and forego the property inspection during a real estate transaction. It ends up costing them more in the long run – and often, by thousands of dollars in missed repairs, problems and code violations. Your real estate property inspection is an important part of buying or selling a home – because it can help you identify and repair or acknowledge things that can be very costly if left to become worse, or end up costing more money in violation fees or penalties.

It’s a common problem to forego the home inspection service if you are trying to save money, or if the seller opts not to pay for repairs – but the home inspection is not to create a laundry list of items for the seller to cover. At it’s core, the process and service is to provide you full disclosure (or as full as possible) of what you are getting into, as well and allowing more negotiation on both sides.

Your money is well spent with a professional who is versed in major home maintenance issues as well as compliance, permits, code violations and other things that can cost you money if they are missed.  Unfortunately, even the smallest repair, or the smallest code violation or compliance/permit problem – can snowball into a huge expense if left undetected. At Grissom Home Inspections, we know what to look for – to save you money and disclose the full story.

Buying or selling a home is a huge event in one’s life, but many things can be prevented with proper maintenance and care during your years of ownership. Buying a home can be more costly than need be if you don’t perform a proper property inspection and heed the information your inspector gives you. Selling a home can become expensive as well – if required to repair impromptu issues that arose from a revealing home inspection – right when you were trying to market your home to a potential buyer. Whether you are buying or selling, and whether your problems are structural, or just cosmetic – they can effect your pocketbook and subsequently – your satisfaction with the purchase or selling process or the excitement of moving your new home.

Certain things seem to surface over and over again when professional home inspectors are performing routine home inspections. Interestingly, they are the types of problems that can escalate and multiply quickly. So, staying on top of these areas can save you, or your buyer a lot of money and time, as well as prevent other related issues.

Electrical and Wiring

Electrical problems are a repeat offender on the list of problems found by a property inspector. Not only can electrical and wiring issues cause more electrical issues and short out appliances and larger systems in your home – they are a fire hazard. Make sure you always hire a professional.

Structural & Natural

Foundation repairs, cracking sidewalks, tree roots, and water rot are all things that will naturally occur over time with any home.  The long term problem would be doors that don’t shut, rot and mold in the walls, cracks all around your home and more. Obviously this category is a post by itself, for another time – but you can see it can be costly to let these kinds of problems build up.

Air & Heat

As a professional home inspector in Texas – we can tell you – you gotta have air conditioning that works. It is not uncommon to have multiple air conditioning units running a home in August in North Texas.  Replacing multiple air conditioning units is extremely expensive. But it doesn’t have to be – with proper maintenance and regular, routine checks – you can keep your machinery in top shape and keep your home cool.

Of course there are several other things that make the list, but living in Plano, McKinney or Frisco – which is our main working area, these three things are some of the most prominent offenders on our list.

Read the full article on HGTV here

Spring is a great time to perform routine maintenance on your home – and not just because Texas summers are a bit so hot. Spring is s time when things are growing (as opposed to leaves falling) and it’s time to get excited for Summertime outdoor entertaining. Preventative maintenance on your home can save you big bucks later, and simple cleaning and updates can increase the value of your home.

Exterior Updates

The best time to remodel a pool or exterior space is Winter as weather permits into early Spring so that your showcase is ready in time for Summer. This would also include paving, walkways and asphalt work – when the temperatures are more ideal for setting. Pool and backyard living spaces are a great way to increase the value of your home.

Spring Cleaning

It’s a great time to clean your gutters, when you don’t have to worry about leaves falling and clogging them up again. It’s smart to clear out your gutters twice a year to prevent build up (and animal nests) that can cause damage to your gutter system.  It’s also a great time to get your chimney inspected and cleaned – while the chimney is not in use.

Fresh Paint

If you’re wanting to freshen up your home, do so – but don’t wait until August when it’s 100+ degrees outside. Be sure to watch the weather closely – and plan it during some days when you will be free of rain. Speaking of rain….

Of course, in Texas – Spring brings rain – so if you are cleaning gutters, or hanging about your chimney or painting your home – be extra careful using a ladder. Wet ladders are slippery and can be very dangerous.  So stay safe, stay cool – and get some things done this Spring!

As property inspection professionals – we perform regular real estate home inspections on homes every single day… and we see a ton of stuff. One thing that always stands out – is when a home has not been properly maintained.

Of course, not every family has a strong man to do all the heavy lifting that some maintenance requires, or a savvy lady who likes to ‘do everything’ on her own. Home maintenance is an general to-do for every household and we all do the best we can.

It helps to know about seasonal changes here in Texas and be prepared to stay on top of requirements regularly as seasons change.

Not only are you protecting your investment in your home, but you’ll save yourself money and time with utility bills and repairs.

We’ve outlined the top five Texas tips to preparing your home for the VERY cold winter months (should they occur in Texas!):

1. Tune up your heating and A/C system: hire a professional to come and change all the filters, and give your A/C and heating system a good once-over at least twice a year. Fall and Spring are great times before the extremes of super-hot or super-cold in Texas are reached.
2.  Check your roof: check your roof and hire a handyman to repair any loose shingles. This will help prevent costly leaks and help your energy bill, too.
3. Clean your gutters! Remove those leaves from the fall NOW to prevent clogged up gutters, leaks and ice dams from forming when and if the temps do drop.
4. Clean that chimney! If you have a fireplace – or any heating appliance burning gas, oil, wood or coal, you might need to contact a chimney sweep, or get a little dirty doing the job yourself. Making sure the chimney is clean will help prevent fires and prevent carbon monoxide from creeping into your home.
5. Store your mower and other lawn equipment: these machines need love in the wintertime too. Make sure they are routinely checked, started and stored with proper coolants and preventative measures to protect the engines and working parts.

There’s always Google, a handyman’s best friend – for amazing tips, and how-to videos to get things DONE. When it comes to your most important and valuable investment – you need to be sure that you have been on top of your game to keep your  home safe and in working order. Save yourself the headache of a repair or failure when you need something the most by staying ahead of the maintenance game.

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