Real Estate Agents: Top 6 Things to Look for in a Foundation Inspection

As a real estate agent, your number one goal is to sell homes. With the job comes the responsibility of a foundation inspection.

Without a sturdy foundation, the home’s structural integrity suffers. The support system keeps the floors, walls, and ceilings of the house in place and prevents safety issues from preventing you from selling a residential property.

When working with a home inspector, make sure to look for the following problems with the foundation.

What to Look for in a Foundation Inspection

1. Jamming Doors

When the foundation settles, cracks or shifts, you’ll notice that you aren’t able to close the doors in the home easily. A foundation inspection indicates whether this is happening due to a problem with moisture in a basement or crawlspace. If you notice jamming doors when touring a home, be sure to mention this to your foundation inspector so it can be looked into and foundation problems can be ruled out.

2. Cracks in Slab Foundation

This common foundation inspection violator occurs when one of three things happens: either water isn’t draining properly and it’s forming pools near the foundation, water is leaking under the slab, or tree roots are growing under the home. All of these are major issues that can be uncovered during the foundation inspection, and they should be addressed soon after to ensure that no further damage is done to the property.

3. Uneven Foundation Settling

Typically, you’ll be able to determine uneven foundation settling issue by sight. Visible signs include step cracks, siding pulling away from doors or windows, cracks in the chimney, cracks in basement walls, and basement flooding. The inspector will point out areas where the foundation is uneven and where the foundation inspection causes alarm.

4. Bulges and Divots in the Block Foundation or Poured Concrete Wall

An inspection will show problematic areas of the foundation and walls. Areas will either bulge outward or divot inward. An excessive number of bulges or divots could indicate If you notice this during a foundation inspection and your buyers are still interested in making an offer, then you will want to consider making the sellers pay for foundation repair.

5. Leaning Walls

If you notice that the walls in the home are not standing upright, then you could have a foundation issue. A foundation inspection lets you know whether it’s a minor fix or one that requires substantial work. If it is a major problem, you will need to discuss repairs with the homeowners.

6. Standing Water

You’ll also want to be aware of any signs of wetness or standing water in the basement or crawlspace area of the home. This indicates that there is a problem with the foundation and it could possibly not pass a foundation inspection.

Know Red Flags in Foundation Inspections

A problem with the foundation could halt the sale of a home which is precisely why you want to be aware of what to look for with the inspector. A foundation inspection addresses and clears up any concerns a buyer might have about a residential property. It’s a good faith measure that builds trust.

AquaGuard Foundation Solutions not only provides reliable foundation inspection in Marietta and the Greater Atlanta area — we can also provide training to real estate agents to help you discuss foundation problems with your clients. Whether you represent the buyer or the seller, our Real Estate Continuing Education classes (CE) will enable you to confidentially discuss any problems identified in the foundation inspection so that they can be resolved and the sale can go off smoothly!