A home inspector’s job is to diagnose and document major issues in houses and explain how everything works. Most of the time, the people who live in these houses are happily unaware that these problems exist, which makes our job more difficult. It’s quite like a physician trying to diagnose an illness in a patient who has no complaints. You have to look very carefully to pick up on the symptoms and exercise the judgment that can only come from experience in order to figure each puzzle out. It’s even harder for the untrained eye to recognize the more subtle signs of trouble. Whether you are looking to purchase a new house or you’re just trying to maintain the house you live in, here are some things you can look for to flesh out potential problems that are not always apparent.

If you are serious about buying a particular casa or condo here in Vallarta, I recommend that you look at a lot of properties. Construction is different here, but once you’ve looked at enough properties, you’ll start to develop a feel for two important things: 1) Home values, and 2) Construction norms.

Most of the time you won’t be able to see the roofing material up close, but you should ask the owners if they know its age and condition. You should ask the same of the air conditioning system(s)

Look at the house from a short distance at all angles. Do all of the lines appear relatively straight? Does the roof’s ridge sag? Does the house look like its leaning significantly to one direction or another? Some settling should be expected, particularly in older homes, but if it is appreciably more than the settlements you’ve seen in other homes of similar age, it could mean there is a structural problem.

Make sure you spend some time looking at the balconies and stairs, too. Generally speaking, we find fewer railings here than at home and when we do see them, they are shorter and the spacings between the balusters are much wider. If there will be elderly, infirmed, or very small children in your house, you’ll want to pay particular attention to these things. Railings are particularly important if the property is going to be a vacation rental.

The grade of the soil around the house should be pitched so water drains away from the foundation. This is much more important than most people realize. Tree limbs should never be touching or overhanging the house and any trees that appear ill should be removed before they fall and cause personal or property damage.

Termite activity itself is very difficult for anyone but an exterminator to find. However, if you see brown tubes that appear to be made from mud that are about the same width as a pencil, running up the walls, its very likely you’ve discovered termites eating the house! These bugs outnumber us here in Vallarta, but they are easily treated, but you’ll need to hire an exterminator to do it.

The use of electrical extension cord feeds and electrical receptacle adapters is the cause of many fires. If you see a lot of these in the house, then you’ll know that you’ll need to hire a qualified electrician to install new electrical receptacles and fixtures as needed. I have yet to see an electrical system in Mexico that meets the modern definition of “safe” in the States (although to be fair, the US and Canada have their fair share of dangerous electrical systems, too.

Inside the house, turn every light switch on and off to make sure they work. You should also try to open and close every window, checking for broken glass, broken hardware, fogged double paned glass, and loose windows. Operate every faucet, run the shower and tub and flush all toilets looking for leaks at the appliance.

You should also be looking for water stains or peeling paint on the walls and ceiling which indicate a past or current leak. Notice the pattern of the cracking in the walls and ceilings. It’s hard to find a house with no cracks at all, and cracks are not necessarily a sign of a structural problem. However, certain patterns can tip you off to a settlement problem that will require further investigation. Again, once you’ve looked at enough properties, you’ll develop a sense for what is a “normal” amount of cracking.

Once you’ve gone through this checklist and identified the areas of the house that need attention, call a professional and get them fixed! It is always cheaper, easier, and better to repair problems sooner, rather than later. Besides, you’ll enjoy the house even more knowing it’s in tip top shape!

Casas del Mar PV is your Vallarta real estate resource. They manage vacation properties and perform home inspections for people who are serious about their vacation home investments. You can send your questions to: Info@CasasDelMarPV.com.