6 even though the tires are rated for 60,000 miles, they may need to be replaced at 45,000 miles for any number of reasons. Also, keep in mind that you won’t be able to evaluate all of the components and systems exhaustively, and you may not even be able to access or operate all of them. If you want to think like a home inspec- tor, don’t get wrapped up in trying to predict how long a unit or systemwill last. Instead, determine where it falls in the spectrum of its life span (beginning, middle or end) and how it is currently performing. LOOK AT THE HOUSE AS A WHOLE A good part of a home inspection en- tails looking at components and systems individually. Does the water heat up? Are there water stains on the drywall? But a home inspector pieces all this information together to get an over- all impression of the integrity of the house. For example, shrinkage cracks are common in drywall above win- dows and doors, but you have to take into account other factors, such as the doors fitting their frames just a bit too tightly, to determine if there’s a prob- lem with the foundation. “We are trained to look at houses as a well-connected system, where everything has an impact on everything else,” Sisson says. To think like a home inspector, consid- er the house as a whole, not as individual components or systems. If you plan to make changes, like knocking out walls to open the floor plan, consult with an ex- pert who can warn you if your plans will do long-term damage to the home.
7 EMPHASIZE STRUCTURE, NOT AESTHETICS Thinking like a home inspector doesn’t end once you’ve purchased a home—it’s something you need to think about as you renovate and eventual- ly prepare to sell it. Sisson is always amazed at how much money investors will spend on “cosmetic fixes,” like granite counters and recessed lighting, and yet don’t address structural issues. “A beautiful kitchen isn’t going to make up for serious cracks in the foun- dation,” she says. There’s also the temptation for investors to do work that looks good but isn’t nec- essarily best practice, according to Sisson.
One common example is when the inves- tor replaces the old fuse box with “a shiny new 200A breaker panel” and doesn’t upgrade the service to match, leaving the new panel on the original 65A service. “They spend $15,000 on kitchen and bath cabinets, appliances and fixtures, but don’t want to spend $25 on some- thing that could save a life,” she says. An investor who wants to think like a home inspector will go beyond the aesthetic fix and make sure the home functions properly and safely. •
Teresa Bitler is a regular freelance contributor to Think Realty Magazine. Contact her at teresa@teresabitler.com
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RESOURCES
ASSOCIATED MASTER INSPECTORS www.amipdx.com 503-236-1812 BRIGHTSIDE HOME INSPECTIONS www.brightsidehomeinspections.com 315-372-0965
PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS www.pillartopost.com 800-294-5591
MOVEIN.SPACE www.movein.space
INSPECTIONS BY BOB www.inspectionsbybob.com 301-208-8289
100 | think realty magazine july :: august 2016
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