Real Estate

What are common gotchas that I should look for in a house walkthrough

  • Last Updated:
  • Oct 20th, 2019 5:42 pm
Member
Dec 14, 2005
259 posts
328 upvotes

What are common gotchas that I should look for in a house walkthrough

Obviously when walking through a house you look for concerns with the state of the home and how it was built, things that a home inspector would usually bring to your attention. What are some things that are easy to take notice of when doing a walkthrough a house that could be of concern?

Here is a list I have going so far:

Kitec plumbing
PolyB plumbing
Is the electrical breaker box full?
State of roof shingles
How many panes of glass in windows?
Aluminum wiring
The year of install is usually on the furnace and hot water heater

Any other things I can look for? Are there any resources out there with more information like this?
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9 replies
Member
Mar 1, 2016
453 posts
442 upvotes
Lead water service from the city
Cast iron pipes
Missing hand rails on staircases (e.g. to a finished basement not done to code)
Sufficiency of insulation in attic
Water damage/evidence of leaks

At least that was our experience and it was pretty obvious once you knew what you were looking at!
Penalty Box
Mar 27, 2004
10493 posts
9009 upvotes
Toronto
Grading of the property.
OBC has changed recently, new built standard is now R60. most houses do not have that.
waterproofing
downspouts and eavestroughs. a lot of homes have downspouts that do not extend far away enough from the property.
asbestos especially older homes before the 80s. Insulation and Stucco ceilings usually have asbestos.
Termites, parts of Toronto are termite zones, for example the danforth.
masonry, tuckpointing.
GFCI outlets that are near water sources.


all i can think of for now.
Full-time Realtor
Member
Jul 14, 2009
261 posts
96 upvotes
Smells... If the house is scented, they're hiding mold. Especially in the basement.
Deal Addict
Jan 29, 2010
2195 posts
3572 upvotes
Toronto
Obvious but not on many’s mind- Large pool of blood stains- big red flag (and no, not red flag deal).
Member
Aug 13, 2006
478 posts
257 upvotes
Not always possible but one thing no one has mentioned is to look for efflorescence on the interior basement walls. It looks like white chalky dust. Might indicate a moisture problem.
Deal Addict
Oct 11, 2016
1266 posts
683 upvotes
not sure if anyone said this:

Windows

are there drafts? do windows need to be replaced etc? Or do you need exterior/interior caulking? So many home inspectors miss the exterior caulking.
Penalty Box
Mar 27, 2004
10493 posts
9009 upvotes
Toronto
Windows have year date stamp on them to tell you age. The older type with the metal trim around the inside has a year stamp. The newer vinyl type is harder to spot. But it is there.
Full-time Realtor
Deal Addict
Mar 27, 2015
1550 posts
677 upvotes
Thornhill, ON
oasis100 wrote: Windows have year date stamp on them to tell you age. The older type with the metal trim around the inside has a year stamp. The newer vinyl type is harder to spot. But it is there.
We've replaced all our windows over the years from various companies - Home Depot, Pella, etc. Every date stamp in them was not current. i.e replaced in 2019 with a window date stamped 2012, that kind of thing, even custom sizes. Did they sit around for that long before someone bought them???
Jr. Member
Jun 6, 2018
105 posts
50 upvotes
Also to consider.
Location
Fences
Neighbors
Efflorescence on the brick.(indicates water penetration, possible mold issues)
Brick blowouts (same as above)
Property grading including neighbors property grading.
Electrical may have knob and tube or aluminum or no ground conductors.
Cracked joists
Evidence of rotten, moldy wood.
Big cracks in the brickwork and interior.
Windows and doors that don't open smooth.

Only the stuff that one can't change/fix are the real deal breakers.
The rest is for price negotiations.

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