first time home buying - tips?

[The Man]

A little know item is Aluminum wiring . A serious fire potential. Homes built in the early 70's had it due to the cost of copper was sky high due to vietnam war.If the house was built later on, you're probably good with all copper wire.

You mentioned that you'd have your Dad take a look. That's great! If he's owned a house and he was an average homeowner who learned to do syuff by himself, then he's the guy to listen too. A House engineer is also a good investment, no matter what some here have said. I've bought 4 houses in my time, used them each time and was very comfortable with their reports.

Use your eyes and nose when checking the house yourself. You'll be surprised what you can learn.

Another thing is , if the house has the appliances with the sale of the house, check the Model & Serial numbers on the appliance and have it stated in the contract that those serial numbered appliances will be included in the sale. I got stiffed once by unsavory owner who swapped refridg on me, after I did the walk thru inspection before closing on the house. Go through the house with your Real Estate person as a witness. Got stuck with a piece of crap. Nothing in the contract to prove that it was swapped. That never happened to me again, because I had it in future contracts, all serial numbers. Good luck with the house.

[peejman]

I plan on doing some research on some home inspectors today, but if anyone knows one in the Knoxville area that they recommend, please let me know.

Thanks again.

This may be a little late, but this guy did mine several years ago. I was happy with his work:

Alan Chase

Chase Home Inspections

P.O. Box 18345

Knoxville, TN 37928

Chaseinspection@mindspring.com E-mail

(865) 688-7638 Office

(865) 688-7638 Fax

[Guest nysos]

This may be a little late, but this guy did mine several years ago. I was happy with his work:

Alan Chase

Chase Home Inspections

P.O. Box 18345

Knoxville, TN 37928

Chaseinspection@mindspring.com E-mail

(865) 688-7638 Office

(865) 688-7638 Fax

Appreciated it but already have someone scheduled for today. Thankfully it is actually raining here today, so I can see how water drains/pools, how good of a job the gutters are doing, and for leaks/seepage inside the house.

[Guest nysos]

A little know item is Aluminum wiring . A serious fire potential. Homes built in the early 70's had it due to the cost of copper was sky high due to vietnam war.If the house was built later on, you're probably good with all copper wire.

You mentioned that you'd have your Dad take a look. That's great! If he's owned a house and he was an average homeowner who learned to do syuff by himself, then he's the guy to listen too. A House engineer is also a good investment, no matter what some here have said. I've bought 4 houses in my time, used them each time and was very comfortable with their reports.

Use your eyes and nose when checking the house yourself. You'll be surprised what you can learn.

Another thing is , if the house has the appliances with the sale of the house, check the Model & Serial numbers on the appliance and have it stated in the contract that those serial numbered appliances will be included in the sale. I got stiffed once by unsavory owner who swapped refridg on me, after I did the walk thru inspection before closing on the house. Go through the house with your Real Estate person as a witness. Got stuck with a piece of crap. Nothing in the contract to prove that it was swapped. That never happened to me again, because I had it in future contracts, all serial numbers. Good luck with the house.

Good point on the appliances, this is a fannae mae foreclosure so I doubt really have to worry about some owner making a switch on me due to it being bank owned, but I am going to make sure that the appliances are listed in the contract. There is no refrigerator, so I will have to buy one either way - but at least there is a range and dishwasher. I already have my own washer and dryer for my clothes, so that is one thing off the list I don't have to worry about.

This house was built in 1973 so I will check on the aluminum wiring issue, and make sure to ask the home inspector regarding that as well today.

[wcsc12]

Good point on the appliances, this is a fannae mae foreclosure so I doubt really have to worry about some owner making a switch on me due to it being bank owned, but I am going to make sure that the appliances are listed in the contract. There is no refrigerator, so I will have to buy one either way - but at least there is a range and dishwasher. I already have my own washer and dryer for my clothes, so that is one thing off the list I don't have to worry about.

This house was built in 1973 so I will check on the aluminum wiring issue, and make sure to ask the home inspector regarding that as well today.

So how did it go? Inquiring minds want to know

[Guest nysos]

So how did it go? Inquiring minds want to know

No aluminum wiring, appear to be some leaks with plumbing connections when the water was turned on. One of the beams supporting the roof has some rot on it where there used to be a water leak, so that needs to be reinforced. Roof is in OK shape, probably will need replacing in the future but not anything imminent. Pretty much there are a lot of little things about the house that were done "weird". What is ok and satisfactory in one person's book, is sub-par in another's. The only major agenda for the place would be a wall in the garage and at the washer connections where there was some slow water leaks over time and they need to be replaced. The interior wall will be easy, the exterior will be a bit tricky because it is load bearing.

On top of that the windows are the original windows when the home was built. Some of them the framing around them has flexed or warped a little bit and some of the windows don't even fully close/lock do to it being at a slight angle. This was something I realized first time going through the house, so the plan would be to have all the windows replaced before even moving in.

I haven't decided if I want to follow through with it yet or not, as I still haven't gotten the full report back from the inspector (expecting it today). I just got to walk through with him on half of the stuff, much of the work he had already done before I got there. Regardless of how much work I would want to do to it, it is still a good price and investment opportunity - it is just a matter of based off my flexible funds to take care of the things that need to be taken care of. If those minor things add up to being too much I will be getting in over my head, which I don't want.

[peejman]

Wow. Unless they're giving it away, I'd say keep looking. That's a lot of very expensive work to be done to correct everything.

[Guest nysos]

Wow. Unless they're giving it away, I'd say keep looking. That's a lot of very expensive work to be done to correct everything.

Windows aside, everything that was mentioned can be taken care of by myself with help from family. Seller is paying closing costs, and it is a foreclosure that I AM getting a good deal on. I am going through with it.