After you view multiple homes for sale and find one you want to buy, you should schedule a second showing for the house before making your offer. When you attend this showing, you should use a checklist to inspect and evaluate some vital parts of the house to determine if it is the right home to buy. Here is a checklist to help you know what to inspect and look at during this showing.

The Electrical System

Even if you plan on hiring a home inspector, you should still consider inspecting some things yourself. One feature to examine is the electrical system. While you may not be able to inspect the entire system, you can evaluate some parts of it. Here are some tips to help you accomplish this:

• Test every outlet in the home.
• Test every light switch in the home.
• Evaluate if the home has enough outlets and if they are in logical locations.
• Inspect all light fixtures to make sure they are in good condition.

You can understand the home's electrical system by taking the time to do these things.

The Plumbing System

The next thing to examine is the plumbing system, and here is a checklist to help you do this:

1. Turn on every faucet in the home. Watch the water pressure in the faucets, especially when running two faucets at once.
2. Turn on the water to see how long it takes to get hot water. Examine the hot water heater to see its age and condition.
3. Look closely at plumbing fixtures to see if there are signs of staining due to hard water. Look around toilets and under sinks to see if there are signs of water damage and leaks.
4. Flush the toilets to make sure they work well.

If you complete these things, you can determine the overall condition of the home's plumbing system.

The Exterior of the Home

Examining the exterior of the home is a vital step to take as well. To do this, you should walk around the entire house and look at its condition. Take note of any parts of the home that appear to need work. Also, look at the roof on the house to determine the condition of the shingles.

These are a few steps you can take to examine and inspect a home before making an offer, but you should always hire a home inspector to evaluate the house as well. If you have questions, talk to a real estate agent today.