FEBRUARY 2010 THE MOSE REPORT The home-buyer checklist for couples Through my work as a home inspector, I meet a lot of couples. They’re either buying their first home, or moving from another city, or starting a family or a new life in a new part of town. I know I’m supposed to remain impartial, but sometimes I can’t help but feel strongly one way or another about whether a house is right for them. Sometimes I wish I could add a set of check-boxes to my reports: Are the couple suited for the home? Will this house make them happy? Will one partner be happier than the other? Is this home doomed to end the marriage? A home is more than just a place where you rest your sleepy head. For some, it is a refuge, for others their pride and joy. Some people define themselves by their home or neighborhood, and others simply like to have a place to park their car and an address for the take-out food delivery. A three-way relationship All homes have a certain something, a character, a personality. Some homes scream out “give me lots of love forevermore!” and other homes are more shy and quiet. When a couple buy a home, they are engaging in a three way relationship, and there is no underestimating the character of the home. It can make or break partnerships, marriages, and families. I remember being very excited for a young couple moving into an older home on a large overgrown property that seemed to suit them just perfectly. They joked about how fidgety he was, and how relaxed she was. He had just come into a large sum of money and no longer needed to work. His passion was renovation projects and learning how to fix old things. The wife was more of a romantic, enjoyed gardening and writing. The worn “character” of the house and the yard excited her. It was a good fit. Then there was the dread I felt for another couple who bought a duplex, an older building from the 1920s. She liked to be given power tools for Christmas while he had never painted a wall or used a screwdriver. She wanted to convert the duplex into a cottage which, for him, was a project of such magnitude that he couldn’t bear to even talk about it. Through the home renovation argument, they discovered they didn’t share a common vision of the future and divorced. She is working on her dream. He has a brand new condo. A tie that binds But it’s not always a case of make or break. I’ve also seen houses that have led couples to a lovely compromise: I know an older couple that have been married for 43 years. They own a duplex in Montreal North. You would think after four decades they would have a good relationship, but after the husband retired from working for the city of Montreal for 40 years he was home all day and found he did not get along with his wife. So, his wife moved to the upper floor of the duplex, he stayed downstairs and they both were happier. They liked the house but they didn't like each other. As a building inspector it’s unprofessional for me to tell my client whether or not they should buy a house based on personality, although sometimes I am tempted. But we can offer advice by explaining the facts in detail. Some say that a home inspector is to a home what a doctor is for the body. That may be true. I sometimes wish I could offer couples a prescription for the perfect home, a home suited specifically to their needs and levels of competence and patience with the problems a home can have. I see myself with a booth at the next home show, like a Snoopy comic strip “5 cents for couples home-buying advice”. But for now, I try to stay impartial, and I hope that couples follow the advice I offer on repairs and maintenance. A home is a third element in a relationship, and I am one degree of separation away from that relationship every time I do an inspection. There really is no place like home. A good home must be made, not bought. - Joyce Maynard Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. - Oliver Wendell Holmes Need a fair and accurate home assessment? We've got the expertise you can count on! You can expect: · Professional, qualified inspectors · Fair and accurate home assessments · Fast, reliable service Find out how Mose Home Inspection Services can help you be secure in your home purchase. MOSE HOME INSPECTION SERVICES SPECIALIZING IN RESIDENTIAL, MULTI-UNIT AND INVESTMENT PROPERTIES Pre-Purchase, Pre-listing, Expertise, Residential, Commercial, Industrial. Environmental assessment. Inspections in English or French. www.homeinspectionmontreal.com     www.inspectionmaison.com