Why you should get an Home Inspection

Whether you are buying or selling a home, you should have a professional home inspection performed.

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

• Structural elements, foundation, framing etc
• Plumbing systems
• Roofing
• Electrical 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, will reveal any hidden problems with the home so that they may be addressed BEFORE the deal is closed.  You should require a home inspection at the time you make a formal offer, and your Realtor will make various suggestions of whom to contact.  Make sure the purchase contract has an inspection contingency clause.  Then, hire your own inspector, meet them for the inspection, ask questions, and pay close attention to the inspection report.  If you aren't comfortable with what he finds, you should request your Realtor to attempt to re-negotiate the purchase price.  

Other types of inspections you want to have are a Wind Mitigation and 4-Point Inspection.  The home inspector will be able to perform them.  Why do you want them?  Simple, they will lower your homeowner's insurance annual premium. 

If the house has a well or septic tank, then the lender will require a water test and a septic inspection.  You will be glad to know if your water is potable and the septic tank is clean and working. 

Sometimes the appraiser will make note of something he sees which might need an inspection he/she is concerned about.  That could be a roof inspection (he may see the shingles peeling up or water spots on the ceiling.  The lender wants to make sure the roof has a several year life expectancy and also make sure the ceiling is not currently leaking.  

You can always go back to the seller and ask them to repair items that need attention.   

Likewise, if you are selling a home, you want to know about such potential hidden problems before your house 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.  They buyer's are most likely going to ask you to fix them anyway.

If you have any questions about this, please give me a call at 941-504-1445 or email me at Sherry@SherryBitner.com