If you have made an appointment to check out a home that could potentially be yours, there are a few things you need to go over before signing the dotted line. Fort Lauderdale movers at All My Sons Moving & Storage have made a checklist to help you get the most out of touring a house, starting with the outside.
Check the curb appeal. Take a couple of minutes considering the sidewalks and home entrances, like the front door and garage. Also, take a good look at the paint and the roof. If you are going to need to do maintenance on the outside, is it going to be worth it?
Consider which way the house faces. East-facing windows allow the sunlight to come in during the morning time. West-facing windows allow for afternoon sunshine.
Take pictures of everything. This will allow you to keep a record of the house, and you can compare it to other places you may be taking a look at.
Begin testing the waters. Literally. Fort Lauderdale movers suggest turning on the faucets and make sure there is clear water, good water pressure, and no weird noises coming from the pipes, such as banging or whistling.
Look around. Check the floors, walls, and ceilings for evidence of water damage, mold, mildew, stains, or cracks.
Open the windows. Make sure that there are no problems with the windows. Sometimes they can get painted shut.
Plug it in. Check each outlet in the house to make sure they are working properly. Also, make sure they are in good places for you to plug in your own things if you move in.
Listen carefully. Fort Lauderdale movers stress being aware of the noise level outside and inside the house. If the house is on a busy street, can you hear every car as they pass by? Also, can you hear the television from one room in another?
Go during the day and at night. Visit the house during both times so you can get a good picture of what the neighborhood looks like at all times.
Check the lighting. You should check to see if the streets are well lit during the nighttime.
Bring a marble. Fort Lauderdale movers at All My Sons have a fun little trick for you to check if the floors are level in the house: place a marble on the floor, if it stays still the floors are level. If it rolls, they are not.