3 Things To Look for When Buying a Denver Home

Front Range Real Estate Podcast with Joan Pratt

In this edition of Rock Talk, I wanted to talk about the top three things buyers should look for when purchasing a home. Today I'm joined by Andrew McClish from Pillar to Post Home Inspectors to help with this topic.
What should buyers be looking for in this market? Start with the foundation - if you're walking around a house and see large cracks in the foundation wall, that can be an indication of foundation issues that need to be repaired. This requires a professional; it's certainly not a DIY job!
Likewise, buyers should look at the system of the house. The water heater, furnace, and AC may all look old, but you should know that it's a marginal percentage of the overall cost of the house. Replacing a water heater would only cost about $800 to $1,200 to replace, which is by no means a reason to think about not buying the house.

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If foundation walls have cracks, the issue could be significant.

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Thirdly, think about permitting. Remodels, major repairs, or major systems upgrades are going to require some sort of permitting from the government municipality. Most of these permits are readily available through an online search, or you can give the building department a call. You can find out if things like the basement finish, or electrical upgrade, or new roof were permitted.
Andrew is an example of a great inspector who is proactive and is the only inspector I know who actually pulls permits for a property before he gets there. It's very helpful and can actually make his inspection go easier. If you need a top-of-the-line inspector, Andrew is your guy, and can be reached at [phone] or at [e-mail].
If you have real estate questions for the Denver market or topics you'd like to see covered in my video blog, send me an email today.