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Health & Fitness

Looking for a New House? Don't Forget About the Basement

Taking a close look at the basement is important when looking for a new home. Read more about what you should consider.

With all of the gorgeous spring weather lately, the real estate market is heating up and homebuyers are on the prowl looking for properties that match their dreams. It’s easy to fall in love with a state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen or gleaming custom bathrooms. Striking landscaping can lure in a buyer, and so can amenities like huge amounts of storage space or sunlight streaming through banks of windows.

While not quite so glamorous to the prospective homebuyer, a basement is equally important when considering buying a home. There are pitfalls to avoid and things to consider when examining the basement of a home you are thinking of buying. Here are just a few:

Water. How do you spot a wet basement or a basement that is prone to taking on water … even when you are visiting during a dry season? Put on your sleuthing cap and start investigating walls and floors for water stains that could indicate prior seepage. Check around windows and junctures where pipes enter the house. Use your nose. Does the place smell musty or damp? And check for signs of mold, which is often harmless, but can sometimes lead to serious health problems. The presence of mold is an indication that an area has been wet in the past. You can also ask your real estate agent to find out about the home’s drainage systems to determine what water issues you might encounter in the future.

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Equipment. Many of a home’s systems are housed in the basement – furnaces, water heaters, and other plumbing systems. If you buy a home, your inspector will check out all of these features to make certain they are functioning properly. It’s always good to know when a furnace or water heater was last serviced, updated, or replaced, so make certain you request this information before you commit to buying a home with a furnace that is on its last legs.

Access. If a house is older, a dated basement may have steep of rickety stairs. If it does, consider how often you’ll have to descend them. Are you planning on storing items in the basement? Is there a lot of equipment that you will need to check periodically?

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Finished or unfinished? If you are looking at a home with an unfinished basement with hopes to finish it at some point, you’ll want to know how feasible such a project might be. If it will take extensive work, such as putting up walls and plastering, you might want to reconsider due to cost. If the framework is in place, however (for example, some basements are primed to add bathroom fixtures to existing plumbing), you might be able to finish the space cheaply and easily. Pay attention to the condition of a concrete floor if you intend to install flooring.

This old house. In older or historic homes, the foundation can begin to falter or crumble. Clues about this problem can often be found in the basement. Look for cracks in the walls and uneven floors. You might also want to ask some questions about how old the electrical wiring is – very old wiring can pose a fire hazard.

Certainly the basement is not the most alluring feature of any house hunting excursion, but by thoroughly checking it out, you’ll learn important clues about the “health” of the home you are thinking of buying. It’s worth a little extra time to do your homework in the basement so that you can be sure you’ll be able to enjoy all of the amenities upstairs that have captivated you.

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