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• Radon gas testing — radon is a natural radioactive gas found in some homes. Strong concentrations (amounts) can cause serious health problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General of the United States recommend that all houses should be tested for radon. For more information on radon testing, call the National Radon Information Line at 1-800-SOS-Radon or 1-800-767-7236.
• Lead testing — many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint problems. To protect your family’s health, you should be sure to get a lead-based paint inspection and/or risk assessment. For more information, contact the National Lead Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD or 1-800-424-5323.

The bottom line: As with a home inspection, you may decide to test for radon or lead before or after signing the contract as long as your contract states that your purchase depends on your satisfaction with the test results. Remember — spending hundreds of dollars on inspections now may save you thousands on costly fixes in the future!

To view the FHA’s full article, please, click here.

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Buying a home is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime, so you should be sure that the home you want to buy is in good condition. A home inspection is an evaluation of a home’s condition by a trained expert. During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth and impartial look at the property you plan to buy. The inspector will:

• Evaluate the physical condition: the structure, construction and mechanical systems.
• Identify items that should be repaired or replaced.
• Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems (such as electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning), equipment, structure and finishes.

After the inspection is complete, you will receive a written report of the findings from the home inspector, usually within five to seven days.

This brochure is primarily for homebuyers that buy their homes with the help of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs. All homebuyers can benefit from the information in this brochure to understand the difference between home inspections and appraisals, the benefits of home inspections, how to find a qualified inspector, and the importance of radon testing.

Please, click here to see the FCIC‘s entire page on Housing Inspections.

“Home inspections are a routine part of the home-buying process, but not every home problem is routine.

Ron and Julie Kirchgessner of Greenwood, Ind., certainly wish they’d phoned a few more experts.

Their inspector declared the two-story brick home one of the soundest construction jobs he’d seen, and the home withstood a tornado in the first six months. But the in-ground swimming pool was on its last legs and the 17 trees on the property struggle with diseases. Both troubled areas fall outside the routine — the American Society of Home Inspectors’ standards for certification.

So the Kirchgessners sunk nearly $10,000, all unbudgeted, into their home — money they believe they could have knocked off the price of the home. “

For Sturgeon’s Full Artical, Please, Click Here.