Home Inspections

You should have a professional inspector go through the house and seek out potential problems. Of course, you will be inspected the home, but you are not used to looking at some things that a professional will find. Even f they are not things the seller is expected to repair, at least you will be aware of any potential problems. The seller will want this inspection performed quickly, so that you can approve the results and move forward with the purchase.

It is to your advantage to hire a qualified home inspector to go over every square foot of the house – inside and out. I recommend you have it done.

A home inspection before you purchase gives you the security of knowing what to expect, and helps you make an informed decision about the value of the home and the costs of future upkeep. If a major problem is discovered, you can bring it to the seller’s attention before waiving any conditions on your offer. Since you don’t want to hire a home inspector for every home you may be considering, ask me or your lawyer to add a conditional clause to your offer, making it subject to a satisfactory inspection.

A comprehensive inspection includes an examination of the structure from top to bottom, including heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, as well as the roof, visible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, foundation and basement.

Home inspections usually run about three hours. Take the time to join the inspector during the process. Doing so will give you the opportunity to see any problems firsthand and become much more familiar with your new home in the bargain. You will also learn a host of maintenance tips on how to keep your property in top shape.

The inspector should provide you with a written report that summarizes the inspection and points out defects and the estimated costs for making any repairs.

The cost of home inspection varies with the size of the home, its age and condition, and the geographical area. Fees usually run no more than a few hundred dollars, a relatively small price to pay when compared to the total investment you will be making in your home.

Since you have toured the property you are interested in, you should know how it compares to the general neighborhood. All you have to do is put the home in one of three categories – average, above average, or below average.

When evaluating a home’s condition, there are a number of things you should consider. Structural condition is most important – items such as walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows. Then paint, carpets and floor coverings. Pay special attention to bathrooms and bedrooms and whether the plumbing and electricity work efficiently. Look at the fixtures, such as light switches, doorknobs and drawer handles. The front and back yards should be in reasonably good shape.

The missing ingredient will be information on the condition of the homes from your comparable sales list. After choosing me to represent you, there is a possibility that I have actually visited most of those homes and would be able to provide key insights.

Cosmetic changes should be largely ignored, but major improvements should be taken into account. Most important would be room additions, especially bedrooms and bathrooms. Other items, like expensive floor tile or swimming pools should be taken into account too, but should be discounted. A pool that costs $20,000 to install does not normally add $20,000 in value to the home. I can give you guidance in this area.

Before closing, you will want to revisit the property to ensure it is in the condition you have required in your offer, and to inspect that any required repairs have been performed. You should do this no sooner than five days before you intend to close. Make sure this right to do a final inspection is included in your offer to purchase the home.

Once you receive the inspection, you will want to allow yourself sufficient time to review and approve the report. If you do not approve the report, you may negotiate with the seller on which repairs should be performed and who should pay for those repairs. Otherwise, you can cancel the purchase without penalty, provided you have included timetables in your offer.