Every week, the detail-oriented folks at Green Scene Home Inspections will give Daltxrealestate.com readers an education in inspection. Want to see what they see? Tune in for “Upon Closer Inspection.”
In the competitive Dallas-Fort Worth real estate market, it’s hard to be picky when it comes to asking for repairs. As a home buyer competing against multiple offers, you may not be able to use your inspection to negotiate much, but you should still pay close attention to this part of the process so you know how to plan for the future, especially with the big five areas of a house: foundation, plumbing, HVAC, roof, and electrical.
With the electrical system, you want to know if you’re moving into a house that has dangerous conditions, improper installation, things that don’t work, or maybe an outdated system that will need to be fully replaced. What’s it going to cost to move in, versus things that will need fixing eventually?
Here’s a case that needs prompt action: it’s a fire or electrocution waiting to happen.
“My cousin said he knows a guy …”
This house was filled with patched together electrical hackery that screamed, “My cousin said he knows a guy …”
Here, they’re trying to ground this wire by sticking it in the grounding prong hole in the outlet. Sigh. Always, always, always use a licensed electrician for your electrical work.
A Dangerous Relic
In an older home, particularly one that hasn’t been updated, you could run into scary things like this. This exposed wire (with a metal connector on a wood surface!) is an accident waiting to happen.
In this hot, hot, hot market some home buyers may be tempted to skip the home inspection, but at what other time do you take the opportunity to go over the home with a fine-toothed comb?
