Why Home Inspections Are Important

A home inspection is a thorough, top-to-bottom evaluation of the condition of a home. If you’re planning on purchasing a home in the near future, you should strongly consider having a home inspection. If you plan to sell your current home then you should also have a home inspection done on the property before putting it on the market.

Let’s take a closer look at why it’s important to get a home inspection, as well as what it means for the seller.

BENEFIT TO BUYERS

Congratulations! You’ve found a new home that you’re in love with, and you’ve decided to buy it. But before you go ahead with the transaction, there’s one step that I recommend everyone take — getting a home inspection. A home inspection is a licensed and insured professional who will thoroughly check your prospective property for any problems. They’ll look at every aspect of the house and then create a report which outlines all their findings. Then they’ll give you an opinion on how serious each problem is, as well as what actions you can take to fix these problems.

The reasons why I recommend that every home buyer gets a pre-closing walkthrough are:

1). It gives you peace of mind knowing that there aren’t any major issues going into the purchase,

2). It helps you get the best price when buying a home by alerting the seller to any problems, and

3) It can protect you from lawsuits by alerting you to sure-fire safety hazards like mold or asbestos contamination.

Getting a home inspection is your opportunity to fully inspect the property and ensure its condition is up to par.

THE PROCESS

The home inspection is set up by you, in the time designated in the contract. The average time delegated for a home inspection to be conducted is 7-10 days after the offer has been accepted. You should be prepared to pay between $500-1000, depending on the size and scope of the home. As your Realtor I will provide you with a list of qualified home inspectors that I recommend. 

It is common for both the buying Realtor (me) and the buyer (you) to be present during the home inspection so that you can ask any questions necessary in order to understand the issues at hand. It is not an inspector’s responsibility to correct, or repair any potential problems found in the home. An inspector may recommend repair, or to seek further specialist advice, which is why it is valuable to be available during the inspection.

The subject of the home inspection can be removed from the contract conditions only if the results are satisfactory to you.

BENEFIT TO SELLERS

We often associate home inspections with being a buyer’s responsibility. And for the most part it is. However, it’s not uncommon for sellers to request a home inspection before the home is put on the market. This may assist in setting the right price, correct any issues with the home before it is even put on the market, or merely having a pre-inspection report readily available for potential buyers to see that the seller has nothing to hide.

This can prove particularly beneficial to remove subjects faster for those looking to complete the sale quickly.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Remember, purchasing a home is a massive investment, and the decision to buy should only be made when you have all of the information. You should proceed with the purchase knowing that the plumbing, electrical, exterior and interior structure, heating, and ventilation are in sound working order.

Don’t worry about the cost, and don’t be pressured by the selling agent if you need to delay the sale a few days in order to complete a home inspection – because it could save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

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