As you view different homes for sale, you might want to pause if you find a home you love that once had a fire in it. Finding out there was a fire in the house is something you may read on the full-disclosure form the seller completed when listing the house or you might learn this another way. In either case, it is important to understand the risks of buying a house that had a fire in it at one point in time and here are three good steps to take before you put in an offer.
Understand the Risks of This Purchase
There may be no risks involved with buying a house that once had a fire or there may be some risks involved with this. This often depends on the severity of the fire and the steps the homeowner took after the fire took place. One risk to know about is the potential for the house to still have a lingering odor. A fire in a house always smells really bad. If the fire damage is cleaned properly, though, this odor will be completely gone. A second risk is for structural damage, but this too only exists if the homeowner did not fix the damage completely.
Ask to See the Documentation of Services Afterwards
If you have questions about the fire and the services that took place afterward, ask your real estate agent to talk to the homeowner about it. If the homeowner took the right steps after the fire, they will likely have documented proof of the work that took place afterward. If you see that the homeowner hired a company that specializes in fire damage restoration, you should feel confident that the house will no longer have the odors from a house fire. If the homeowner hired a contractor to rebuild and renovate the home, the house is probably structurally fine.
Hire a Company that Can Inspect It Specifically for This Purpose
The other step to take is to hire an inspection company that has first-hand expertise in fire damage. This type of company will know exactly what to look for when inspecting a house that once had a fire and this will help you know if the house is a good one to buy or not.
If you have any questions about the process of buying a house or about a particular house you are interested in, talk to a company like Lake Cumberland Real Estate Professionals today.
