1. Home & Garden

Articles Index

Roof Certifications and Roof Inspections

What is a roof certification? How roof certifications and inspections help to sell homes. Why home buyers should ask for a roof certification.

Wet Basements - How to Spot a Wet Basement

Should you buy a house with a wet basement? What types of problems are present in wet basements? Solutions to fixing wet basements. What causes spalling and efflorescence? How can you tell if water has leaked into a basement?

Sewer Inspections for Older Homes

How to do a sewer inspection as part of the home buying process during the home inspection phase. Reasons to do a sewer inspection. How to handle sewer line problems or, worst case, replace the sewer line.

Repair Requests on Home Buying and Selling

Requesting repairs after a home inspection is common. Here is how to make repair requests that are acceptable and why sellers may reject unreasonable repair requests. Alternatives to making repairs that keep sellers and buyers happy.

Title Insurance Policies

Title insurance policies as they pertain to real estate: owners and lenders title policies, terms of coverage, liability and protection. Title commitments and preliminary title reports prior to issuance of title insurance policies.

Home Inspection Checklist

Home inspection checklist items to look for when getting a home inspection. How to tell if your home inspector checked the essentials. Major and minor repair concerns.

How a Bad Home Inspector Can Jeopardize Your Sale

How to avoid hiring a bad home inspector. How to recognize clueless home inspectors. How to determine if your home inspector is qualified and credentialed. Questions to ask a home inspector. How much do home inspectors charge?

Doing the Final Home Inspection Walk-Through

What's involved in the final home inspection walk-through? What happens if repairs aren't made as promised or something else is wrong? What rights do home buyers have? When does the walk-through take place. All these answers and more.

What is a Home Inspection Contingency?

Definition and explanation of a home inspection contingency. Why satisfying a home inspection contingency early in the home buying process is a good idea. How to release a home inspection contingency.

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.