Home Defects and Damage

Even newly built homes are rarely perfect. Here are red flags that might be clues to major problems.

Whether you are planning ahead for a future earthquake or tsunami, or you just received a red-flag warning or an immediate evacuation order, below is a list of key items to put in your “go bag.” They fall roughly into the categories of: items you, your family, and your pets will need for immediate

Do you have a claim, what evidence will you need to prove it, and what damages might you be awarded?

Construction defects are a common issue with newly built homes. Here's what to do.

What if something was wrong with the property at the time you bought it, and someone—the seller, the seller's agent, or the inspector—could or should have told you about it but didn't? Try approaches such as a demand letter or mediation before rushing to court.

If your contract is solely with the developer, that might be the only party you can sue for home defects, but that's not the end of the story.

As a homeowner, do you have any chance of recovery from your home inspector to cover the cost of repairs for defects the inspector didn't warn you of?

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated personal casualty and theft losses except for those related to a presidentially declared disaster.

If you didn't discover the home builder's faulty work until years later, you might still be able to sue, depending on your state's statute of limitations and statute of repose (if any) on construction-defect lawsuits.

Learn about the kinds of homeowners’ coverage that might be available to cover your slip and fall claim, and how to make a claim with the homeowners’ insurance company.