5 Things to Look Out for on Birmingham Inspection Reports

[Hunter Terryn]

Had a networking meeting with Marla French from Timberline Inspections here in Alabama, and wanted to share a few nuggets from our convo...

5 Biggest things to look out for:

1. Structure - Bham's landscape is not flat. We've got a lot of elevation, somewhere between big hills and small mountains. That means houses built on hills! A solid foundation is key here, and even strong ones can shift overtime with the landscape. Marla looks for cracks in the foundation and for the piers to be in good shape. 

2. HVAC - One of the more obvious things to look out for but really anything past 10 years is going to need replaced soon in this heat. Also, something that comes up often is the gas system being improperly vented. This will always show up as a red flag on the report, and can be an expensive fix depending on age of the home. 

3. Roof - Something that comes up a lot is the area around chimneys (many homes with fireplaces here), where rain water isn't being diverted properly. The flashing should be installed appropriately to avoid any leaks/damage.

4. Moisture - Did you know, on average it rains 28 out of 31 days in July every year in Bham?? And when it isn't raining, it's humid. One of the most important things to look out for on an inspection is moisture. We look for a dry crawl space, vapor barriers, and windows/doors that seal completely. Moisture brings mold/mildew, mold/mildew destroys wood. Which brings us to...

5. Termites - According to Marla, a termite inspection is an ABSOLUTE MUST. The typical landscape in Bham, combined with any presence of moisture is a breeding ground for termites, and that's a huge problem for your property. Always recommended to get a termite bond with a new purchase. Worth. Every. Penny.

If you're an out-of-state investor, buying in Birmingham (or anywhere in the South for that matter), take note of these items and make sure you're aware of the costs to replace. No need to run for the hills, but just make sure the risk is considered in your offer and any repairs are estimated/planned appropriately. 

Here's to your investing success!!

-Hunter