One of the life changing experience is buying your first
home. After all, you have fallen in love with the house and it may be the biggest
purchase you will ever make.
That is why it is essential to inspect the home before closing the deal. To avoid costly inconvenience and make better informed investment decisions, consider these tips to avoid five common home inspection mistakes.
1. Circumventing a professional inspection
"Complying with the codes" doesn't necessarily mean being acceptable. After you bid on a home and before closing, hire a professional home inspector to do an inspection and provide you with an inspection report in plenty of time for you to review it and ask questions and / or requests of the seller. If you are buying a newly built home, the inspector can help you determine if the builder economized or concealed poor construction. If you are buying an older home, the inspector can help you identify which of the home's systems, materials, and other equipment will need major repair and / or replacement in the near future.
Consider including an inspection clause in your sales contract so your final purchase is depending on the inspector's findings. Many lenders would require an inspection before approving financing.
2. Accepting any reasonably credentials from a home inspector
You need an experienced, reputable, and impartial inspector to help you assess whether your home is safe and also a reasonable investment for you (e.g. will you incur significant additional expenses in preparing the home for occupancy?). Don't necessarily trust the inspector recommended by your real estate agent, you may have a vested interest in seeing the sale go through.
Consider someone who is a residential specialist and a licensed Home Inspectors. Be cautious if an inspector has different certifications, as some groups issue credentials for as little as a fee.
Ask the prospective inspector for customer references and sample reports so you can see if the inspector conducts a detailed enough examination for your purposes. Find out how long it takes to provide a full report. It should generally arrive within 24 hours of the inspection, which is vital because you would like enough time to deal with the seller with the concerns raised within the report.
3. Moving Too Soon After Your Home Inspection
Just as your yearly physical takes longer as you get older, so does your home. The older the house, the more extensive and fundamental the examination may be.
Be suspicious of inspectors who claim they will complete a typical single-family home exam in less than two hours or charge less than the market rate in your area.
Do not close the purchase of your home until you have
studied the report and have consulted all the concerns you have.
4. Failing to Go to the Home Inspection
Consider this a red flag if the inspector refuses to allow you to come to the home inspection. By accompanying you, you will understand the conditions of the systems, materials and equipment of your future home, you will ensure that the inspector goes through the entire property and answers your questions about possible future repairs.
Keep a log with a detailed list of possible problems at particular sites. (Consider taking the list with you when looking for a home to buy again, to be even more cautious next time.)
Using a flashlight, binoculars, tape measure, ladder, square, protractor (for measuring angles), and any other suitable tools, the home inspector should check extractors, plumbing, visible wiring, plugs, appliances, sanitary facilities, attic insulation, stairs, caulking, chimney ducts, and hollow spaces, among other things. The inspector can discover potential mold, fire hazards, foundation problems, rotten or termite-damaged wood, and more.
5. Don't ask your home inspector questions
Talk to your home inspector. No home is perfect, but the professional should have an opinion on which defects are of greatest concern. It can also tell you the average life of a roof, furnace, or air conditioner, and this can help you predict future expenses.
If the inspector points to issues such as mold, foundation, asbestos, radon, and lead paint as possible concerns, follow up with other professionals. If repairs are needed, gather several bids before closing and review them with your home inspector.
At this point, consider it a valuable resource, and someone whose report can justify a reduction in the purchase or even the cancellation of the purchase contract if there were enough problems. The inspectors have no vested interest in the sale; They are there to tell the truth with an experienced and knowledgeable perspective. And that's invaluable in making the foremost exciting purchase of your life.
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