HOME INSPECTION INFO

BUYING A VACANT HOME…

In the past few months, I've been INSPECTING a lot of bank owned homes, Real Estate Owned (REO) and homes up for auction. Most of these properties are unoccupied. A lot of home owners don't maintain their homes regularly. They tend to be lax about minor thing like changing the filter in the AC units and furnaces, fixing leaky pipes and doors and windows go unattended for years. These things are just neglected.

When a house is vacant due to foreclosure or a tax sale (auction), the problems are magnified. These types of properties are breeding grounds for squatters, vandals and thieves. Vandals will often spray paint the walls and siding (graffiti).  In most cases where windows are broken, squatters in the winter may start a fire in basements to stay warm. This is one of the main reasons vacant properties catch on fire. The thieves do the most damage by ripping out pipes and electrical wiring for the copper. Sometimes the boiler is dismantled for parts and if the home has aluminum siding, that's taken for its value. There may be times when the structural damage could be as much as $20-30K in repairs.

A house that's been boarded up for some time does not get the proper ventilation in a humid climate or where the water is not turned off; mold can grow and not just behind walls but out in the open. This could be very costly and affect your health.

BOTTOM LINE…If your thinking about buying this type of property, hire a licensed HOME INSPECTOR to exam it before you put down your down payment. You won’t be sorry. 

For more information on this article, contact David @vahinspections.com.