102 |^5280 |^ MAY 20^18
From top: Blend Images/Dissolve; iStockUPON FURTHER INSPECTION
In the good ol’ days, a seller would knock a few grand of the sale price of a home if the inspection found the
house had, say, been built atop a Superfund site. Today, if you protest any defects, an owner might decide to
put the property back on the market and wait for a more desperate buyer. his scenario leaves house hunters
to ponder a diicult question: Which imperfections should you live with (knowing you may have to ix them
later) and what laws should you have the courage to walk away from (no matter how much you love the
house)? We asked local home inspectors to weigh in.FOUNDATION FLAWS
Buy It: Vertical cracks in a
concrete foundation—which
are relatively common
because of Colorado’s
dry climate and erratic
temperatures—are typically
no big deal, says Craig Cox,
home inspector with Pillar
to Post Denver. Most can be
repaired permanently for less
than $100 each.
Make A Deal: Horizontal
cracks, though, need to be
examined by a structural
engineer and foundation
repair expert to assess
the damage and potential
causes (the likely culprit:
freezing and expanding soil).
Cox estimates that repairs
can range from $2,000 to
$40,000, but he adds that
even in this market, some
sellers are willing to cover
the cost or at least split it
with the buyer.ROOF DISPUTES
Buy It: Asphalt shingles often
warp or crumble as UV rays
break down their chemical
composition. Don’t stress
over a few decaying shingles,
Chad Chadwick of Seven Stars
Home Advisors says. You can
often infill sections for less
than $300.
Make A Deal: Most asphalt
roofs last 10 to 12 years in
Colorado. If a roof is older
than that, try to negotiate
for a roof-replacement credit
(approximately $8,000 to
$10,000,
depending on
the size of the
house). Based
on Chadwick’s
experiences,
buyers
shouldn’t be
expected to pay
for more than
half of the job.PLUMBING PREDICAMENTS
Buy It: Modern plastic sewer
pipes are nearly impenetrable.
Clay pipes, often found in
older houses, aren’t, making
them susceptible to intrusion
from roots, which can catch
paper products and clog
the line. However, as long as
the pipes are flowing freely
(request a video camera
inspection to make sure),
Cox says, buyers should feel
comfortable with a sale.
Make A Deal: If you’re
dealing with a bad sewer line,
which often requires a fix that
could cost north of $10,000,
backing out of a sale might
be wise. Some sellers, who
often don’t know sewer line
problems exist, may balk at
the repair fees and refuse
to fix them. “I’ve seen more
transactions fall apart because
of bad sewer lines than
anything else,” Cox says.UTILITY UPGRADES
Buy It: If both the furnace and
the water heater are less than
five years old, consider it a gift
from the real estate gods: The
average furnace lasts 22 to 30
years, Chadwick says, while
water heaters typically hold
out for 15 to 17.
Make A Deal: First-time
buyers shouldn’t hesitate
to ask for a water heater
replacement (around $1,500
and up for a regular gas or
electric 40- to 50-gallon
tanked model, $4,500 and
up for tankless).
But some sellers
aren’t eager to
reach a deal on
a new furnace.
Buyers might have
to accept the
fact that they’ll
have to replace it
themselves in the
near future.REAL
E S TAT E
2018
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