• It saves you legal battles with future tenants about undisclosed uninhabitable living conditions. 

• Ensuring the health and safety of your tenants. 

• Ensuring your company's reputation and brand image are maintained at all costs. 

• Forecast future costs of repairing or maintaining the properties you take onboard. 

• Find out what the deal-breakers are in each of the apartments you manage. 

• It will help you get ahead with your insurance providers, and you will know which areas can not function without proper insurance.  

There are many minor issues like a broken window or minor repairs in woodwork or paint around the house. These might be highlighted in the inspection reports, but they are nothing to worry about. You can quickly mitigate these by scheduling regular maintenance work. But right below, we have listed out some of the major problems in homes that you need to pay closer attention to in order to get ahead of the problem.  

1. Leaking or damaged roofs 

This is a significant issue found in most old households, and worn and damaged roofs can be a major setback for property values. This happens more often if the house is in a humid place or storm-prone area. A home inspector will know where to look for roof leaks, damage, and places where it has become brittle and needs immediate attention. According to Forbes reports, even a minor roof repair can cost between $150 and $400, and a major repair can cost up to a whopping $7,000. If you see such damages in the property, you can quickly opt out of onboarding it and save later battles with your tenants about unlivable conditions.  

2. Drainage and pipeline issues 

There may be a hidden pipeline or drainage issue in the properties you onboard. Like there might be water backflow in the bathrooms, there might be pipeline leaks from the kitchen sink. If the property sellers cover these up, you might be scammed before onboarding them for sales if you do not do a thorough inspection through a professional inspector.  

3. Faulty foundations and structural damages 

Foundations and structural problems are the hardest to fix because they are at the core of the building and property owners need to tear down a lot of the building to solve these. It is best to steer clear of properties that show foundation or structural problems during an inspection.  

4. Termites or other pest infestations 

Landlords are entirely responsible for any termite or pest infestation in the properties. These can include ant infestations, wood termites, roach infestations, etc. If you find any of that in your inspections, ensure that the landlord takes care of it before you partner up with them to sell a property under your brand name. Plan your strategy and leadership in a way that the landlord is held accountable for such situations and the real estate company like you is not harassed in between.  

5. Secret mold problems around the property 

Mold is a hidden problem and is hardly ever visible at first glance. This is why a property inspection is crucial. Places below the carpet, behind furniture, and damp kitchen and bathroom corners can be affected by mold. They can be extremely costly to repair, and re-infestations can happen.  

6. Incompetent heating systems 

Survey findings say that it costs more than $6,000 for an average American household to change, repair or replace the house heating system. And such conditions can be a major turn-off for potential buyers. As a real estate property manager, you must thoroughly inspect and understand if the property has a failing and high energy-consuming system.  

7. Faulty electrical wirings 

Faulty electrical wiring can be a fatal thing for the whole community. Even if the faulty wire is in one property, it can risk the whole building, including all the residents. This is one of the primary things you need to have your home inspector get checked by to avoid any future problems.  

8. Asbestos issues 

Is the house you are looking to onboard built a few decades ago? There is a high chance that it might have asbestos roofs. Though the present construction of houses with such material is banned, many old houses still have this issue, and it is a significant health hazard for residents. Only a thorough inspection can help you detect such issues.  

9. Lead-based paint 

Any properties built before 1978 have a high possibility of having lead-based paint. Like asbestos, they are also a major health hazard, and finding them after a house sale can land you major legal problems with the residents. Hence, it is advisable to get it checked out before moving forward with a property.