By Marcie Geffner of Bankrate.com

Homebuyers and sellers who expect an appraisal to sail through to closing without a hitch may be surprised to discover that home appraisals today can be problematic. The reasons for the change are complex, but there’s no question that mortgage lenders have started to demand more reviews and do-overs.

Rob Johnson, vice president of lending at San Diego Funding, a mortgage company in San Diego, attributes the increase in home appraisal reviews to lender-specific requirements imposed because of past problems with certain types of home loans. For example, a mortgage lender might demand more scrutiny of an appraisal if the borrower has a marginal credit score or high debt level relative to income or if the property was a foreclosure that was fixed up and flipped by an investor.

Appraisals may lag home prices
Home prices are also a factor. When prices are on the rise, perhaps because buyers have bid more in a multiple-offer situation, appraised values might still be lower. The reverse is also the case.

“Any time you have a market in transition, appraisals aren’t going to keep up because the appraisal is based on historical data,” Johnson says.

Inadequate “comps” can present problems as well. (“Comps” are recent sales of nearby homes that are similar, or comparable, to the home that’s the subject of the appraisal.) The mortgage lender may deem the comps inadequate if the homes were too far away or were sold in such nontraditional circumstances as a short sale or foreclosure or if the sales occurred too long ago. If the comps aren’t sufficient, the lender may order a review or second home appraisal to verify that they were chosen correctly.

“If (the appraiser) can’t find three comps within that area and has to expand, that is where you start to get appraisal reviews or secondary appraisal requirements to make sure the appraisal was valid or that (the lender) was comfortable,” Johnson says.

The term “second appraisal” generally refers to a new, start-from-scratch valuation. An appraisal review could be a “desk review,” in which the appraisal gets a second look by an office-bound person, or a “field review,” in which the appraisal is subject to another drive-by or in-person inspection of the property. A review is more common than a second appraisal.

New guidelines distance lenders from appraisers
Leslie Sellers, president of the Appraisal Institute in Chicago, says a lender might order a new home appraisal if the first one was based on factual errors or the appraiser wasn’t competent in the area.

Some second appraisals, he adds, result from a misunderstanding of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, guidelines that were meant to prevent undue pressure being placed on appraisers to inflate home valuations, but that may have caused some lenders to cut off communication with appraisers.

“The banks are thinking they can’t even talk to the appraiser,” he says.

Sellers can offer comps to appraiser
An appraisal review can cost several hundred dollars while a second appraisal generally involves a second full fee, says Sara Schwarzentraub, owner of Inter-State Appraisal Service in San Diego. These costs usually are paid by the buyer.

“It’s commendable that the lenders are being cautious and having stricter criteria to protect themselves, because in the long term that protects everybody, but it does make it more costly,” she says.

Home sellers can offer the appraiser information that might affect the appraiser’s opinion of the home’s value. This information is best handed over before the appraisal is prepared.

“If you know of a sale that’s similar to your house and it was a foreclosure, short sale, divorce or anything of that nature, make the appraiser aware of that,” Sellers says.

Real-estate brokers can help buyers and sellers find comps to offer the appraiser, Johnson says. If the broker believes comps may present a problem, the buyer and seller can plan accordingly.

“A good real-estate agent is aware of these issues. Many times, an agent will call us and say, ‘I know we are going to have problems with comps on this,” he says.

Neither the buyer nor seller can choose the appraiser, but Sellers says buyers can insist on a minimum competency, which he defines as having local market knowledge and being certified as well as licensed.

Buyers and sellers also can agree on longer time frames for the home appraisal contingency and closing date. Schwarzentraub says that asking for a 45- or 60-day closing, rather than 30 days, is not unreasonable.

Buyers are entitled by federal law to a copy of any appraisal for which they’ve paid a fee. Buyers should look over the appraisal and notify the lender of any errors that could have affected the appraiser’s opinion of the home’s value.

Homebuyers with little money for a down payment are finding more home loans available for a low down payment or even no down payment.

These mortgages are becoming more commonplace even as the country recovers from a housing bust made worse by the popularity of low-down-payment mortgages during the housing boom.

The Federal Housing Administration insures loans with small down payments. And private mortgage insurers have lowered their down payment requirements.

It’s even possible to get a mortgage today with no money down. The nation’s biggest credit union offers “zero-down” mortgages. The Veterans Administration and the Department of Agriculture guarantee home loans with no down payments.

Following are a few options for borrowers seeking low-down-payment and zero-down-payment home mortgages:

No down payment: VA loan

Veterans Affairs (formerly the Veterans Administration) guarantees no-down purchase mortgages for qualified veterans. Private lenders originate VA loans, which the VA guarantees. There is no mortgage insurance. The borrower pays a funding fee, which can be rolled into the loan amount.

The VA funding fee varies, depending on whether the veteran served in the regular military or in the Reserves or National Guard, and whether it’s the veteran’s first VA loan or a subsequent one. The funding fee can be as low as 2.15 percent or as high as 3.3 percent.

No down payment: Navy Federal

Navy Federal Credit Union, the nation’s largest in assets and membership, offers 100 percent financing (up to $650,000) to qualified members for buying primary homes. Credit union eligibility is restricted to members of the military, some civilian employees of the military and U.S. Department of Defense, and family members.

Navy Federal resumed zero-down financing this year after a hiatus of a couple of years. Barbara Sheehan, Navy Federal’s assistant vice president for mortgage products, says when members of the military are transferred, they sometimes own houses whose values have fallen, wiping out equity.

“Some people had to take losses to sell their houses, so to have to start over and save the money again for a down payment is really difficult,” she says.

The credit union’s zero-down program is similar to the VA’s. One difference is cost: Navy Federal’s funding fee of 1.75 percent is less than the VA’s funding fees.

No down payment: Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development mortgage guarantee program is so popular that it ran out of money this spring. Congress is expected to cough up more in time for summer homebuying season.

“That’s the cat’s meow, my favorite loan program,” says Jeff Tufford, mortgage consultant for Monarch Mortgage Consulting, in Grand Blanc, Mich.

Some borrowers are surprised to find that Rural Development loans aren’t confined to farmland.

“It’s not all rural,” Tufford says.

Grand Blanc is a suburb of Flint. There are nearby towns, such as Fenton and Davison, where “no one would walk there and say this is a rural area, but the USDA can do loans there.”

The USDA has maps on its website that highlight eligible areas. In addition to geographical limits, the USDA program has restrictions on household income, and it’s intended for first-time buyers, although there are exceptions.

The USDA mortgage comes from a bank, and there is no mortgage insurance. Instead, the USDA levies a 2 percent guarantee fee, which can be rolled into the loan amount.

Low down payment: Federal Housing Administration

The zero-down options listed above are restricted to limited groups of buyers. With a minimum down payment of 3.5 percent, the Federal Housing Administration is the low-down option that’s available to the most people.

Today, about 30 percent of all home loan borrowers get FHA-insured loans, up from 3 percent during the housing boom. The FHA gained market share after many other low-down-payment options (such as piggyback loans) evaporated in the housing bust.

Losses to the insurance fund compelled the FHA to hike rates. The FHA charges an upfront premium of 2.25 percent of the mortgage amount. On a loan with the minimum down payment, there’s an annual premium of 0.55 percent of the mortgage amount, or $550 a year for each $100,000 borrowed.

Another low-down-payment option

There is one more option for borrowers in the “low-down-payment” camp: A standard home loan with private mortgage insurance.

A number of companies offer private mortgage insurance for home loans with down payments of less than 20 percent. PMI is not the same thing as FHA insurance, a form of public mortgage insurance.

Typically, monthly private mortgage insurance costs more than FHA insurance for borrowers who put down 5 percent. However, PMI costs less than FHA for loans with down payments of 10 percent or more.

Private mortgage insurance has another edge over FHA: Under certain conditions, you can cancel PMI earlier — as soon as two years after you get the loan, compared to a wait of at least five years to cancel FHA insurance.

PMI has become easier to get. From the start of the housing bust until just recently, mortgage insurers slapped a “declining market” label on the worst-hit housing markets and required minimum down payments of 10 percent or more, instead of the traditional minimum of 5 percent.

Now, at least some of the insurers have relaxed the requirements, even in hard-hit states such as Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada and Michigan.

“We’ll do 5 percent down across the country,” says Chris Antonello, senior vice president of marketing for Genworth, a mortgage insurer based in Raleigh, N.C.

The streamlined rules are intended to help borrowers avoid foreclosure.

By Michele Lerner of Bankrate.com

Homeowners struggling to sell their homes in a short sale are getting some relief, thanks to the federal government’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program.

Up to now, many short sales — in which the lender accepts a sale of the property for less than the full amount owed — have taken months to complete. Sometimes, the complex and lengthy process has failed, resulting in foreclosure.

HAFA establishes streamlined short-sale rules and provides incentives for borrowers and lenders to work together to avoid foreclosure. The rules — in effect between April 5, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2012 — also are intended to speed up the short-sale process.

“The streamlined short-sales process will definitely help homeowners,” says David Liniger, Re/Max International chairman and co-founder.

Before HAFA, homeowners often listed their home for sale without an idea of what the lender would accept.

“A lot of sellers and their Realtors have not been able to sort out the problems with short sales and have given up on the process because, even after sending in the correct paperwork, they have sometimes waited three or four months for their lender to respond,” Liniger says.

Under HAFA, borrowers receive pre-approved short-sale terms from the lender before putting the home on the market.

Lisa Matykiewicz, a Realtor and certified distressed property expert in Gilbert, Ariz., says the updated short-sale rules establish an easy-to-understand process with defined steps that “make it easier for everyone to understand.”

Eligibility requirements
The HAFA guidelines apply to lenders that voluntarily participate in the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). The Department of Housing and Urban Development says more than 100 servicers have signed up to participate in HAMP, covering more than 89% of mortgage debt outstanding in the country.

To be eligible for HAFA, homeowners must first apply for a loan modification through HAMP. Owners who do not qualify for a loan modification or miss payments during the initial loan-modification period qualify for HAFA.

Other HAFA requirements include:

• Property is principal residence.
• Mortgage originated before Jan. 1, 2009.
• Mortgage is owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
• Borrower is delinquent or default is foreseeable.
• Homeowner demonstrates hardship.
• Borrower’s total monthly housing payment exceeds 31% of gross income.
• Unpaid principal does not exceed $729,750.

According to HAFA rules, lenders now must offer a short sale in writing to the borrower within 30 days if the borrower does not qualify for or complete a loan modification. Borrowers then must respond within 14 days to the lender’s short-sale agreement.

“I think it’s great that the lenders in this program have to offer a short sale before going to foreclosure,” Matykiewicz says.

When a purchase offer is made, borrowers must submit the sales contract to the lender within three days, along with the buyers’ mortgage pre-approval and the status of negotiations with other lien holders on the seller’s property.

Finally, lenders must approve or deny the contract within 10 days.

HAFA rules also state that lenders must release borrowers from the obligation to repay the difference between the sales price and the loan amount. No deficiency judgments are allowed for a first or second loan.

Other incentives
In the past, short sales were especially difficult for homeowners with more than one loan on their home, since the home sale typically repaid only the first mortgage. HAFA’s financial incentives include a payment of up to $3,000 for second mortgage holders.

“Second trust lien holders are often owed five or 10 times that $3,000 payment,” Liniger says. “But if the property goes to foreclosure, the second trust holder is not likely to get any money at all. This at least guarantees they get something.”

Other HAFA financial incentives include $1,000 to loan servicers to cover administrative fees, up to $1,000 for mortgage investors who agree to share short-sale proceeds with second lien holders and $1,500 to the homeowners for relocation.

“The moving expense allocation acts as an incentive for them to stay in the property until the short sale goes through,” Liniger says. “Owner-occupied properties are usually in better condition than vacant homes.”

By Diana Lundin
Move.com

Still sitting on the fence about buying your first home? If you want to take advantage of the federal government’s tax credit of up to $8000, you have until the end of April. But there are a lot of other good reasons for buying now.

Along with the tax credit, low interest rates and a large existing-home inventory as well as incentives from new-home builders make it a buyer’s market in many areas of the country.

Real estate experts say if you have good credit, a steady income and want to take on the responsibilities of home ownership, it’s a great time to buy your first house. But because it often takes weeks for first-time buyers to find a home, it pays to have everything lined up for the purchase that should optimally take place no later than mid-November.

You should have all documents in order, including pay stubs, bank statements and tax returns. You should get pre-approved (not pre-qualified) for a loan so that you can be ready to act when you find a house. And you shouldn’t make any credit purchases before buying the home as that can affect your closing. Lastly, make sure you have your closing costs lined up. Those often have to be paid for in cash.

To take advantage of the credit, here’s what you need to know.

1. Who is eligible to claim the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers?
First-time home buyers who have not owned a home in the past three years and who purchase any kind of home—new or resale—are eligible for the tax credit for 10 percent of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $8,000. To qualify for the current tax credit, a home purchase must occur on or after November 6, 2009 and they must have a binding sales contract in force on or before April 30, 2010.  Purchasers have until June 30, 2010 to close.
The full credit is available for married couples filing a joint return whose modified adjusted gross income is $225,000 or less and for other taxpayers who’s MAGI is $125,000 or less.  The credit phases out for buyers earning more than those income limits.

Persons claimed as dependents by other taxpayers or who are under age 18 do not qualify for the tax credit program.
Source: National Association of Home Builders, Internal Revenue Service

Homeowners who have lived in their current home for at least five consecutive years within the last eight and who want to purchase a different home qualify for a $6,500 tax credit.  Home purchase must occur between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.  The purchaser has until June 30, 2010 to close.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®

3. What is the definition of a first-time home buyer?
The law defines “first-time home buyer” as a buyer who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. If you have not owned a home in the past three years but your spouse has owned a principal residence, neither you nor your spouse qualifies for the first-time home buyer tax credit. However, IRS Notice 2009-12 allows unmarried joint purchasers to allocate the credit amount to any buyer who qualifies as a first-time buyer, such as may occur if a parent jointly purchases a home with a son or daughter. Ownership of a vacation home or rental property not used as a principal residence does not disqualify a buyer as a first-time home buyer.
Source: NAR, NAHB

4. How is the amount of the tax credit determined?
The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000 (See No. 12 for price limits) for first-time buyers and a maximum of $6500 for existing owners.
Source: NAR, NAHB

5. The income limits for claiming the tax credit were raised when the tax credit was extended. Are the higher limits retroactive?
No. The new income limits are only applicable to purchases occurring after November 6, 2009. The income limits for sales occurring  after November 6, 2009 are $125,000 a year for individuals and $225,000 for couples $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Source: NAHB, IRS

6. What is “modified adjusted gross income”?
Modified adjusted gross income or MAGI your total annual income minus adjustments to income.  Examples of adjustments to income are Alimony payments, contributions to an IRA, contributions to health savings accounts, or moving expenses for a new job.
Source: Investopedia, IRS

7. If my modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above the limit, do I qualify for any tax credit?
Possibly. It depends on your income. Partial credits of less than $8,000 are available for some taxpayers whose MAGI exceeds the phase out limits.
Source: NAHB

8. Can you give me an example of how the partial tax credit is determined?
Just as an example, assume that a married couple has a modified adjusted gross income of $235,000. The applicable phase out to qualify for the tax credit is $225,000, and the couple is $10,000 over this amount. Dividing $10,000 by the phase-out range of $20,000 yields 0.5. When you subtract 0.5 from 1.0, the result is 0.5. To determine the amount of the partial first-time home buyer tax credit that is available to this couple, multiply $8,000 by 0.5. The result is a $4,000 credit.

Here’s another example: assume that an individual home buyer has a modified adjusted gross income of $138,000. The buyer’s income exceeds $125,000 by $13,000. Dividing $13,000 by the phase out range of $20,000 yields 0.65. When you subtract 0.65 from 1.0, the result is 0.35. Multiplying $8,000 by 0.35 shows that the buyer is eligible for a partial tax credit of $2,800.

Please remember that these examples are intended to provide a general idea of how the tax credit might be applied in different circumstances. You should always consult your tax advisor for information relating to your specific circumstances.
Source: NAHB

9. How is this home buyer tax credit different from the tax credit that Congress enacted in early 2009?
For first-time buyers the tax credit’s income limits were increased, the documentation requirements were tightened, and the program’s deadlines were extended.  Existing homeowners who buy a new principal residence also now qualify for a credit up to $6500.
Source: NAHB

10. How do I claim the tax credit? Do I need to complete a form or application? Are there documentation requirements?
You claim the tax credit on your federal income tax return. Specifically, home buyers should complete IRS Form 5405 to determine their tax credit amount, and then claim this amount on line 67 of the 1040 income tax form for 2009 returns (line 69 of the 1040 income tax form for 2008 returns). No other applications are required, and no pre-approval is necessary. However, you will want to be sure that you qualify for the credit under the income limits and first-time home buyer tests. Note that you cannot claim the credit on Form 5405 for an intended purchase for some future date; it must be a completed purchase. Home buyers must attach a copy of their HUD-1 settlement form (closing statement) to Form 5405 as proof of the completed home purchase.
Source: NAHB

11. What types of homes will qualify for the tax credit?
Any home that will be used as a principal residence will qualify for the credit, provided the home is purchased for a price less than or equal to $800,000. This includes single-family detached homes, attached homes like townhouses and condominiums, manufactured homes (also known as mobile homes) and houseboats. The definition of principal residence is identical to the one used to determine whether you may qualify for the $250,000 / $500,000 capital gain tax exclusion for principal residences.

It is important to note that you cannot purchase a home from, among other family members, your ancestors (parents, grandparents, etc.), your lineal descendants (children, grandchildren, etc.) or your spouse or your spouse’s family members. Please consult with your tax advisor for more information. Also see IRS Form 5405.
Source: NAR, NAHB

12. I read that the tax credit is “refundable.” What does that mean?
The fact that the credit is refundable means that the home buyer credit can be claimed even if the taxpayer has little or no federal income tax liability to offset. Typically this involves the government sending the taxpayer a check for a portion or even the entire amount of the refundable tax credit.

For example, if a qualified home buyer expected, notwithstanding the tax credit, federal income tax liability of $5,000 and had tax withholding of $4,000 for the year, then without the tax credit the taxpayer would owe the IRS $1,000 on April 15th. Suppose now that the taxpayer qualified for the $8,000 home buyer tax credit. As a result, the taxpayer would receive a check for $7,000 ($8,000 minus the $1,000 owed).
Source: NAHB

13. Will the tax credit need to be repaid?
No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during this three-year period, the full amount credit will be recouped on the sale.
Source: NAR

14. Instead of buying a new home from a home builder, I hired a contractor to construct a home on a lot that I already own. Do I still qualify for the tax credit?
Yes. For the purposes of the home buyer tax credit, a principal residence that is constructed by the home owner is treated by the tax code as having been “purchased” on the date the owner first occupies the house. In this situation, the date of first occupancy must be on or after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010 (or by June 30, 2010, provided a binding sales contract was in force by April, 30, 2010).

In contrast, for newly-constructed homes bought from a home builder, eligibility for the tax credit is determined by the settlement date.
Source: NAHB

15. Can I claim the tax credit if I finance the purchase of my home under a mortgage revenue bond (MRB) program?
Yes. The tax credit can be combined with an MRB home buyer program. Note that first-time home buyers who purchased a home in 2008 may not claim the tax credit if they are participating in an MRB program.
Source: NAHB

16. I live in the District of Columbia. Can I claim both the Washington, D.C. first-time home buyer credit and this new credit?
No. You can claim only one.
Source: NAHB

17. I am not a U.S. citizen. Can I claim the tax credit?
Maybe. Anyone who is not a nonresident alien (as defined by the IRS), who has not owned a principal residence in the previous three years and who meets the income limits test may claim the tax credit for a qualified home purchase. The IRS provides a definition of “nonresident alien” in IRS Publication 519.
Source: NAHB

18. Is a tax credit the same as a tax deduction?
No. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in what the taxpayer owes. That means that a taxpayer who owes $8,000 in income taxes and who receives an $8,000 tax credit would owe nothing to the IRS.

A tax deduction is subtracted from the amount of income that is taxed. Using the same example, assume the taxpayer is in the 15 percent tax bracket and owes $8,000 in income taxes. If the taxpayer receives an $8,000 deduction, the taxpayer’s tax liability would be reduced by $1,200 (15 percent of $8,000), or lowered from $8,000 to $6,800.
Source: NAHB

19. I bought a home in 2008. Do I qualify for this credit?
No, but if you purchased your first home between April 9, 2008 and November 6, 2009, you may qualify for a different tax credit. Please consult with your tax advisor for more information.
Source: NAHB

20. Is there a way for a home buyer to access the money allocable to the credit sooner than waiting to file their 2009 or 2010 tax return?
Yes. You have several options.
Prospective home buyers who believe they qualify for the tax credit are permitted to reduce their income tax withholding. Reducing tax withholding (up to the amount of the credit) will enable the buyer to accumulate cash by raising his/her take home pay. This money can then be applied to the down payment.

Buyers should adjust their withholding amount on their W-4 via their employer or through their quarterly estimated tax payment. IRS Publication 919 contains rules and guidelines for income tax withholding. Prospective home buyers should note that if income tax withholding is reduced and the tax credit qualified purchase does not occur, then the individual would be liable for repayment to the IRS of income tax and possible interest charges and penalties.

Second, you may claim the tax credit and participate in a program financed by tax-exempt bonds. As a result, some state housing finance agencies have introduced programs that provide short-term second mortgage loans that may be used to fund a down payment. Prospective home buyers should check with their state housing finance agency to see if such a program is available in their community.    
Source: NAHB, National Council of State Housing Agencies

21. HUD is now allowing "monetization" of the tax credit. What does that mean?
It means that HUD allows buyers using FHA-insured mortgages to apply their anticipated tax credit toward their home purchase immediately rather than waiting until they file their 2009 or 2010 income taxes to receive a refund. These funds may be used for certain down payment and closing cost expenses.

Under HUD’s guidelines, non-profits and FHA-approved lenders are allowed to give home buyers short-term loans of up to $8,000. The guidelines also allow government agencies, such as state housing finance agencies, to facilitate home sales by providing longer term loans secured by second mortgages.

Housing finance agencies and other government entities may also issue tax credit loans, which home buyers may use to satisfy the FHA 3.5 percent down payment requirement. In addition, approved FHA lenders can purchase a home buyer’s anticipated tax credit to pay closing costs and down payment costs above the 3.5 percent down payment that is required for FHA-insured homes. 
Source: NAHB

22. If I’m qualified for the tax credit and buy a home in 2009 (or 2010), can I apply the tax credit against my 2008 (or 2009) tax return?
Yes. The law allows taxpayers to choose (“elect”) to treat qualified home purchases in 2009 (or 2010) as if the purchase occurred on December 31, 2008 (or if in 2010, December 31, 2009). This means that the previous year’s income limit (MAGI) applies and the election accelerates when the credit can be claimed. A benefit of this election is that a home buyer in 2009 or 2010 will know their prior year MAGI with certainty, thereby helping the buyer know whether the income limit will reduce their credit amount.

Taxpayers buying a home who wish to claim it on their prior year tax return, but who have already submitted their tax return to the IRS, may file an amended return claiming the tax credit using Form 1040X. You should consult with a tax professional to determine how to arrange this.
Source: NAHB

23. For a home purchase in 2009 or 2010, can I choose whether to treat the purchase as occurring in the prior or present year, depending on in which year my credit amount is the largest?
Yes. If the applicable income phase out would reduce your home buyer tax credit amount in the present year and a larger credit would be available using the prior year MAGI amounts, then you can choose the year that yields the largest credit amount.
Source: NAHB

By Phoebe Chongchua

Looking for a new home can be exciting and frustrating. You can help alleviate the frustration by paying close attention to five key areas of the homes you’re considering buying; it may save you money in the long run.

Don Walker is an inspector and owner of Ace Home Inspections. He says there are five areas in homes that he frequently reports problems with. They are electrical, foundation, plumbing, the attic, and landscaping.

Electrical
Walker says sometimes homeowners assume with newer homes that all will work just fine but that’s often not the case. “I [inspected] a brand new house — four years old but the electrical was all done incorrectly,” says Walker.

Having a complete home inspection will help to rule out any problems and point out any areas of concern. However, even as you’re browsing homes, buyers can start to make note of the key areas that Walker mentioned, such as the foundation.

Foundation
Walker says a four-year-old home he inspected recently was already showing trouble signs which could result in a costly repair project. “It was a model home. What [the homeowners] did was plant trees for shade to make it look really nice, but they planted the wrong trees and they’re going to crack the foundation and it’s going to cut the property value down by $50,000,” says Walker.

Walker says in the case of that home, the trees were causing micro-fractures in the tile in various locations of the home. “As you walk through the house, 21 feet in and 30 feet deep, there’s just too much root invasion and it’s going to ruin their tile,” explains Walker.

He says some tell-tale signs with this home were the minor cracks in the foundation that were causing a lifting and separation of the foundation. Also, the windows were not opening and closing properly, “which means the foundation is moving.”

However, just because you see cracks doesn’t mean there is a foundation problem. “Most people don’t understand that there are natural cracks in a house. That’s why when we do an inspection report we have to look at it and say ‘Okay, this is a typical crack and this one is an untypical crack,’” says Walker. He says some cracks may lead to other problems while others won’t.

Plumbing
Walker says another big area of concern is the plumbing. It’s an area that you can’t always spot as easily but it can create expensive repairs if plumbing issues go either undetected or are not properly fixed. “Mold forms underneath sinks when people have a leak and they fix the pipe but they don’t take care of the mold,” says Walker.

He says things like caulking the sink can help prevent mold. “That’s my number one thing I always find — bad sinks,” says Walker.

He says that when you look at the sink, look behind it and most of the time you will discover a little crack. “What happens is, when you wash dishes or you wash your hands in the bathroom or the kitchen, the water gets in that crack and seeps down. Once the water gets behind the cabinet it’s in a perfect position to create mold,” says Walker. The dampness, humidity, and lack of light can turn that area beneath the sink into a mold-breeding ground.

Attic

“You can tell everything about the house by the attic,” says Walker. He says other areas of the home can be covered up if a repair had occurred. For instance, if there was a leak and it damaged a wall, with the right contractors and repairs it can be made to look like new and, hopefully, function like new. But Walker says the attic is sort of the eyes to the soul of the home. “In the attic you can tell where all the damage has been,” says Walker.

“If you’re in a 20-year-old house and you see that the insulation is brand new, you know that there was a water leak because it had to be replaced,” says Walker. He adds, “You can tell if the roof is good because you can look right at the wood.”

Landscaping
“There should not be moisture or plants next to your house,” says Walker. He says there should be a 12 inch barrier between the landscape and the house. Walker says otherwise you run the risk of having the foundation crack and affect the home. What happens is, as the landscape that is too close to the home is watered, the foundation and soil expand. Then, when no watering occurs, the foundation dries up and shrinks and this can cause it to crack.

Remember, knowledge is power, so learning about the home before you close the deal on it will keep you from making a mistake that may cost you extra out-of-pocket money later.