Why you should get a Home Inspection

Whether you are buying or selling a home, you should have a professional home inspection performed.  As a former Professional Home Inspector, a good home inspector can provide you with valuable information in helping you make an informed decision whether to buy a home or not.

A home inspection will look at the systems that make up the building such as:

• Structural elements, foundation, framing etc
• Plumbing systems
• Roofing
• Electrical systems
• HVAC systems 
• Cosmetic condition, paint, siding etc

If you are buying a home, you need to know exactly what you are getting. A home inspection, performed by a professional home inspector, may reveal visual and accessable problems with the home so that they may be addressed BEFORE the deal is closed. You should require an inspection at the time you make a formal offer. Make sure the contract has an option period giving you enough time to have inspections done and reports reviewed. Then, hire your own inspector and pay close attention to the inspection report. If you aren't comfortable with what he finds, you should walk away from the deal.  Keep in mind when buying an existing home that no home is perfect and there will always be the normal maintenance type items that come with home ownership.  What you are looking for are no major surprises. 

Likewise, if you are selling a home, you want to know about such potential hidden problems before your home goes on the market. Almost all contracts include the condition that the contract is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory inspection. And most buyer's are going to insist that the inspection be a professional home inspection, usually by an inspector they hire. If the buyer's inspector finds a problem, it can cause the buyer to get cold feet and the deal can often fall through. At best, surprise problems uncovered by the buyer's inspector will cause delays in closing, and usually you will have to pay for repairs at the last minute, or take a lower price on your home.

It's better to pay for your own inspection before putting your home on the market. Find out about any hidden problems and correct them in advance. Otherwise, you can count on the buyer's inspector finding them, at the worst possible time.

If you have any questions about home inspections, please feel free to, fill out the below form, call, or email me your questions.