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When you're going through the process of buying real estate in Steamboat Springs, CO, you should always pay for an inspection to be done on the property you're buying. Home inspectors are extremely thorough in their reports. They will take photos and provide descriptions of any damage or issues they find on the property, from the small cosmetic issues to the big structural problems. When you receive the report from the inspector, you should go over it with your spouse (if you have one) and with your real estate agent. Your agent will be able to help you pinpoint any items that you want the seller to fix before agreeing to buy the property. However, there are certain things that should make you hesitate about proceeding with the purchase. Here are 3 of those items that you should look for. Leaky Roof As long as the weather is good, your inspector will probably get up on the house's roof and check the state of the shingles. Check the report to see if there is any mention of missing shingles or damage to the flashing. They may also note bald spots on the shingles where they have worn thin. Even if the inspector can't get on the roof for some reason, they will inspect the attic and ceiling. See if there is any mention of water damage in these areas. If there is, this likely means the roof is leaking somewhere. These can be big problems, because roof repair and replacement can be quite expensive. If the seller isn't willing to fix the roof before selling to you, then they should be willing to significantly reduce the sale price so you can have the work done yourself. If they won't budge, you should probably reconsider the purchase. Cracking Concrete Check the inspection report for mention of cracked concrete anywhere in or around the house. This can include the driveway, garage floor, exposed exterior concrete, or basement flooring. If there is cracking in any of these places, it could mean that there is a problem with the foundation. Of course, that's not always the case. Cracks in the driveway can occur because of exposure to the weather. Exterior concrete may crack for the same reason. There can be a number of other reasons the concrete is cracked, but it is still something you should look into. You can typically hire a specialist to do a thorough evaluation of the foundation if you're worried. If there really is a problem with the foundation, you should really just look for another home. Foundation problems are extremely expensive to fix, and sometimes they can't be fixed at all. And if they're not fixed, there can be serious structural issues with the rest of the home. Old or Damaged Systems The roof and concrete are kind of the skeleton of your home, but the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems are the organs. Obviously, you want the organs to be in good shape if you're going to buy a home. Your inspector should provide you with a report on how these systems are running, as well as an assessment of how old the systems appear to be. If the systems are damaged or outdated, you should have the seller reduce the home's sale price or replace the systems before signing. Alternatively, you can ask for a buyer's warranty. This covers all of the systems in the home for a full year from the time of purchase, so that if anything does go wrong, you don't have to pay for the repairs or replacement. If any of these things come up in an inspection when you're buying real estate in Steamboat Springs, CO, ask your agent about how to proceed. They'll be able to offer you expert advice based on their experience.
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