If you buy a home in North Carolina, you will definitely want to get homeowner's insurance to protect yourself, your belongings, and your investment. But you need to answer a lot of questions first before you buy a homeowner's insurance policy, and many of those questions are about your new home. In what shape is your new house? What repairs should you make to your home to make it safer and get better rates on your homeowner's insurance?
Yes, you need to do a lot of research before buying a homeowner's insurance policy for your new home in North Carolina, but you don't have to do that research by yourself. You might want to have a licenced North Carolina home inspector take a look at your home before you buy it or right after you buy it if you feel good about it. These people are trained to check the inside and outside of homes, including the plumbing and electrical systems, roof, and any porches, decks, or patios.
Once the inspection is done, the home inspector will give you a detailed report, but it's best if you're there during the inspection so you can see for yourself what needs to be fixed. This way, when you set up an appointment to have your home fixed, you can help the electrician, plumber, or roofer. Even though you won't be on the roof with the repairmen, you'll be able to show them where the damage is.
By having a home inspector go through the house and tell you what needs to be fixed, you're one step closer to getting lower homeowner's insurance rates. If a homeowner's insurance company sees that you just fixed the leaking pipes or broken wiring, the home won't be seen as a high risk as it would have been if the repairs hadn't been made.
