What to Expect When Home Inspecting
During the process of buying a home, it is in your best interest to hire a professional home inspector to analyze the home’s condition. This is one of the most important steps in the home buying process as buying a home is one of, if not the biggest purchases you’ll ever make.
We understand emotions run high when it comes to that dream house you’ve always wanted and think you’ve found, but think again about what problems could be lurking under the surface. Do you really want to inherit a family of rodents or a few million insects along with it? A home inspection will uncover hazards and code violations before signing your name on the dotted line.
Not All Home Inspections Are Equal
Do some research. Look for experienced home inspectors that are certified and have been in business for several years. A highly accredited home inspection service may cost a little more than other quotes you find online and that’s because not all home inspections are performed equally. When you think you’ve found a reputable service, ask questions about what is included in the home inspection. Ask for a sample report and compare it to the sample reports of other home inspection services and you may realize that one service may perform a more in-depth evaluation of the home’s condition than the other.
Check with your real estate agent to see if they have a list of trusted vendors. They may regularly work with an inspector they know and trust. Again, it’s a big purchase, you’ll be living here for years to come and this is not the time to skimp on service quality for the sake of saving a few dollars. Not having a proper home inspection conducted may result in disaster and expense once the house is already yours. By then it’s too late to ask the seller to make repairs and knowing about structural deficiencies, dangerous wiring, or leaks ahead of time, means you as a buyer, have the opportunity to negotiate with the seller for a lower selling price.
New Constructions Aren’t Exempt from Home Inspection
Although it seems that only an older house would need a home inspection for the purpose of analyzing how well it’s stood the test of time, even new constructions should have an inspection performed. Think of it as quality control. Even though a new construction is, well… new, it doesn’t mean the house is flawless. Carpenters, plumbers, electricians and other craftsman are all known to make mistakes just like the rest of us-except they won’t be paying for their mistake, you will. That is why a home inspection must always be carried out even when the house is thought to be problem free. Don’t be a victim to faulty construction and be skeptical if a home builder is opposed to the use of a private party home inspector versus their own.
You can go to the Home Inspection
It might be a good idea to attend the home inspection so you can be there first hand as problems are identified. Ask the home inspector how concerned you should be about each one and get his overall opinion on the home’s condition. If the home inspection reveals repairs that need to be made, take it a step further and begin gathering quotes.
