7 Necessary Items to Have When You're Looking for a New Home
The process of buying a house is full of challenges. Among them are the financial aspect, research, and the emotional labor of transforming your family's needs and dreams into a physical structure made of bricks and wood. But perhaps one of the most taxing parts of house hunting is visiting so many potential homes and deciding whether to make this one your new abode or pass on it.
To help with this, it's crucial to have a reliable real estate agent. However, you can narrow down your list of potential properties by collecting data during your visits. But to do this, you'll need tools. Here are the essential items for your "open house kit" that you should bring with you when viewing houses:
Tape measure
A tape measure is essential when visiting a potential home for several reasons:
- To verify the listed square footage of the house is accurate. There can sometimes be a significant disparity between the actual size of a house and its listing, so measuring during your visit is crucial.
- To make sure your furniture will fit through doors and up staircases, and will ultimately fit into the intended room. This applies to things on walls, including your new TV you just purchased.
- To measure appliance spaces in the kitchen and laundry areas, if you're bringing your own or planning to replace older models.
- To gauge the size of closets. If you're told you'll have "walk-in" closets, they should be at least four feet by four feet. You might also want to compare them to your current closets to ensure your items will fit.
- To check vertical space. There's a significant difference between eight- and nine-foot ceilings.
It's worth noting that you can use an app on your phone to take measurements or a high-tech laser measure if you're ok with rough estimates. For more precise measurements, though, use a metal tape measure.
Moisture meter
Hidden moisture problems can be difficult to notice. Sometimes, minor moisture issues are covered up with some drywall, flooring repairs, or paint. These problems can develop unnoticed behind walls or in the attic for years before they're discovered.
To avoid relying on visual inspection and the homeowner's word of "no issues," bring along a moisture meter to read the moisture level in the house. A moisture level above 17 is cause for concern, with your level of worry increasing with each point.
Pocket level
Houses may not be perfectly square. They tend to settle and have minor discrepancies that aren't visible to the eye. However, severe sloping on floors, warped walls, or misaligned kitchen cabinets can signify foundation issues or other costly problems.
A pocket level can be used in every room to check for these issues.
Camera
While a phone with a camera will work, it's essential to organize and label your images for future reference. Take photos from different angles of each room. You don't want to rely on the photos provided in the listing, which may be staged or misleading.
Flashlight
A small flashlight will come in handy when touring a house. There will be dark spaces behind and under furniture, dim basements or crawl spaces, and peculiar crevices you'll want to check for spiders, mold, or interdimensional portals. Shining a bright light can also help uncover shadows that could be hiding (or appear to be) problems.
Water pressure gauge
Water pressure has a significant impact on your daily life. Low pressure means a longer, less satisfying shower, longer wash cycles when doing laundry, and could indicate plumbing issues.
A water pressure gauge can help you test the pressure in the house. These attach to a hose hookup and measure water pressure in pounds per square inch (psi). The ideal range is between 40 and 80 psi, with 50 psi being ideal. Pressures outside of this range should prompt further investigation.
When browsing potential homes for purchase, it's crucial to remember that just because something looks good on the surface doesn't always mean it's safe or functional. For instance, you can't see the condition of the wiring through walls, even if the outlets appear new and modern. One way to check the electrical wiring is by using a voltage tester on a few of the outlets. This device will measure the voltage, which should be around 110 to 120 volts for a normal outlet. If the tester triggers an alarm or shows no voltage, there might be an issue with the wiring that could potentially be hazardous.
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When using your open house kit, remember to keep track of the house's square footage with your tape measure to ensure it matches the listing. Additionally, house hunting can be costly, so consider utilizing house hunting tools like a moisture meter to detect any hidden moisture issues and save money on potential repairs later.
