1. Inspector Joe’s Ten Golden Rules For First-time Home Buyers Created by Joseph M. Griffin Tri-State Home Inspections Inc.

2. Rule number One Seek Higher Ground whenever possible Otherwise, you may be bailing water regularly from a flooded basement Avoid being at the lowest point on the street, or at the foot of a steep sloping hillside or backyard

3. Rule Number Two Always Look twice Always walk around the home twice, in opposite directions Always visit the house twice, at different times, Bring two people, two sets of eyes You will see more, and learn how the home reacts, looks in different light

4. Rule Number Three Age before beauty A twenty year old home can be like a $1000 car on the side of the road After you get it home, it needs tires, transmission, and brakes Most roofs, boilers, furnaces and leach fields Have twenty year life cycles Ask if they have been replaced recently

5. Rule Number Four Remove rose colored glasses Look at the home as if you were an inspector, do not get caught up measuring for drapes or pool tables and leave children HOME Look at windows, doors, walls Are they flat, square, intact? Try them while you are walking through Check roof, looking for curling and missing shingles Check siding, straight, dry? or rippled and rotted?

6. Rule Number Five Do Your Homework Check the registry records at town hall zoning, planning, building, etc. to map the history of construction, especially if the home has undergone major renovations, additions, etc. Check for permits pulled, outstanding permits, contractor information, licenses if any To check quality of work and if town regulated work performed

7. Rule Number Six Get an Agent A realtor who is working for you and your best interests, in most cases will not cost you any additional money Beware FSBO especially if you have never bought a home before. Sellers can take advantage of buyers who are not educated with the entire selling process. A good buyers agent can be worth thousands of saved dollars. They can help protect you from making a poor decision. Some sellers can be dictatorial and push you into a contract which may restrict your ability to have a fair process and perform due diligence ie: inspections

8. Rule Number Seven Family Matters Engage family in the process, as they bring years of homeownership experience with them. If you find a home you like, bring friends or relatives through before putting an offer in. Get feedback..

9. Rule Number Eight Have a Plan B Look at more than a few houses, and have a backup plan. Some times things don’t work out on the first home, have another as a fallback. Offers can be refused, or a contingency can derail the sale before it gets moving. Sometimes the home inspection reveals major issues that can not be overcome by buyer or seller.

10. Rule Number Nine Stay out of the shade Almost every home I have inspected which was surrounded by large shade trees had mold and mildew issues A lot of southern exposure is best, it keeps the exterior and interior dry and free of damaging moisture

11. Rule Number Ten Response Time When signing a Purchase and Sale agreement build in enough response time (Post-inspections) Typically 7-14 days so that you have enough time to make smart decisions, get contractors in to provide repair quotes, and renegotiate any concerns you may have, failed roof, heating systems, septic, radon, etc.