Santa Cruz Real Estate News & Information

You know my recommendation is that everyone should have a professional property inspection before they close on a house. Wouldn’t it also be a good idea to discover problems with a piece of property before you ever make an offer? With some attention to detail, you can find out a lot about the condition of Santa Cruz homes.

Here’s a pre-offer, do-it-yourself property inspection checklist to get you started:

• Basement - A basement can give you information about the structure of a house, especially if the basement is unfinished. You’ll want to make sure there are no cracks, the electrical wiring is organized, and there is no evidence of water damage. If there isn’t a basement, examine the exposed foundation on the exterior of the house.

• Electrical panel – Upon examination, it should look orderly and neat. If it is, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear, but a disorganized panel can often be a sign of shoddy electrical work throughout the house.

• Faucets and fixtures – Is there hot water? Does the shower drip? Does the oven work? Does the toilet run? Not every problem is a major issue, but it’ll give you a good idea of how much care went into the property’s construction and maintenance.

• Attic - Not only should you be looking at available storage space, you’ll want to see how well the insulation was fitted. That can make a huge difference in your monthly electric and gas bills.

• Roof - Missing shingles or interior water damage in Santa Cruz homes are bad signs.

• Windows - Make sure they all open and close properly and that you can’t find any drafts, gaps or condensation.

• Interior and exterior finishings – Check out the baseboards and siding to see what kind of shape they’re in. If the builders didn’t pay much attention to what you CAN see, imagine what the internal structure might look like.

Want to work with a professional real estate agent who can help you weed out badly-built or poorly-maintained Santa Cruz homes before you make an offer?  Give me a call today at 831-662-6522 or email me at Lauren@LaurenSpencer.com , I'm happy to offer my assistance.

For more information, please visit my website at www.MySantaCruzRealEstate.com.