Common Problems that Fail Home Inspections

The housing market is booming right now. Buyers are flooding real estate websites looking to purchase their forever home. This is happening because they can get a bargain with interest rates being low.

The sellers out there may be wondering how much they can truly get for their home. You should start by looking at comp houses in your area to see what the going rate is, factoring in any special features you may have. Then use a seller closing costs calculator to see what type of costs you will concur and deduct that from your listing price.

Another thing that sellers need to be aware of is what can make the house fail inspection. The house can only be sold if it 100% passes inspection. There are many reasons or causes for a home to fail inspection, but some are more common than others. Let’s take a look at some of the common problems to ensure you have them all wrapped up before you sell.

Mold

Mold is a very common issue for homes to fail inspection. The worst part is you probably aren’t even aware of it. Sure mold can grow on outer surfaces, but it can also grow under floors and behind walls.

It’s best to pay for your own inspection so mold doesn’t sneak up on you when you are trying to actually sell. You may also not even know if a substance is mold or possibly mildew. It’s best to find out ahead of time as mold can be very dangerous to the human body.

Faulty Decks or Porches

You may walk on onto your deck or porch and think it’s fine, but far too often decks or porches cause homes to fail inspection. Boards could be loose, the support beams could have sunk farther into the ground, or it may just not have been built to code in the first place. 

Walk around the deck, test it out, inspect it with your own eyes. If something doesn’t look right to you, you may want to seek an opinion from a licensed contractor. 

Yard Drainage

If you notice that your grass or lawn is a little soggy long after a storm or even without a storm, you may have a big issue on your hands. Yard drainage is an issue that sneaks up on many home sellers. 

If you notice small lakes forming in your yard or mushy wetlands appearing, you should try and get to the root of the issue. Most likely it could be an issue you will have to deal with and get fixed, but not all the time. Sometimes this happens and it could be on the city or township that you live in. It’s best to figure out who’s issue it is before you go to sell your home.

Cracks in the Foundation

Put this right up there with mold. Cracks in the foundation of a home are far too common causes of a failed inspection. Chances are a crack in the foundation can be repaired, but it’s best to get it fixed as soon as possible before it spreads and gets worse. 

You should check for cracks in the foundation both inside and outside of the home. 

Old Roof

Roofs on average have a lifetime of about 10-15 years. Making sure that your roof is within that lifespan is important.

You should still ensure that all plywood is intact and not rotten, and that there are no missing or lifted shingles. This could be such an easy fix that it’s not worth risking a failed inspection over. Grab a ladder and walk around the roof or hire a roofer if you don’t feel safe. You’ll be able to tell if anything is off.