At a Johnston showing I check the things that are expensive to change and easy to miss: the age and condition of the roof, furnace, AC, and water heater, the electrical panel, the drainage around the foundation, and any signs of past water in the basement. Finishes are the last thing I look at, because finishes are the cheapest thing to change.
Yes, I bring a multimeter to showings. I spent years around the trades before real estate, and old habits stick. I am not doing the inspector’s job. I am deciding whether the house is worth the cost of an inspection, which is a different question.
My quick pass looks like this. The data plates on the furnace, AC, and water heater for age. The electrical panel for brand, double-tapped breakers, and signs of weekend wiring. Under the sinks for active leaks. Ceilings below bathrooms for stains. Basement walls for cracks, tide marks, or fresh paint in one suspicious spot. And outside, where the downspouts end and which way the ground slopes.
The trade-off is emotion versus strategy. Feel the home, then decide with your head. The buyer falls for the kitchen. I am looking at the 22-year-old AC sitting right outside the kitchen window.
What I typically see in Johnston is a lot of 1990s and 2000s homes reaching the age where original mechanicals and roofs come due around the same time. That is not a reason to walk. It is a reason to know the number before you write the offer.
As one example, two Johnston homes at the same price can be $20,000 apart in real cost if one has a new roof and furnace and the other has the originals. On the listing sheet they look identical. At the showing, the data plates tell the truth.
If you want my full step-by-step list from first showing to closing, my Buyer Checklist has it.
Related Resources: Is a Home Warranty Worth It for a First-Time Buyer in Johnston? and Is a Finished Basement Worth Paying More For in Johnston?.
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Written by Jason Huffey, REALTOR with RE/MAX Revolution (License S73436000), serving Johnston and the greater Des Moines metro. Call or text (515) 606-1227. The Best Is Yet To Come.
