You’ve found the home you love, now it has to be inspected. We’ll take care of you from here. We know the process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, checklists, photos, and what the inspector says during the inspection. All this combined with the sellers disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming.
Relax. Most inspections reveal a majority of maintenance for minor imperfections. These are nice to know, however, the issues that really matter will fall into three categories:
Adverse material defects
These are things like structural failutes in a foundation or water leaks
Expensive repairs
These are things like non-operative diswashers and foggy windows
Safety Hazards
These are fire-hazards, shock hazards or personal injury hazards that should be repaired
We recommend that any condition falling into these categories be addressed in your real estate transaction. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property. Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report and that no home is perfect – so keep things in perspective. Don’t kill your deal over things that don’t matter by demanding a seller address defferred maintenance; consitions already listed on the sellers disclosures, readily apparent and visible items, or nit-picky items.
A house is usually the biggest investment that most people ever make, so naturally it is important to know as much about the investment as possible before buying. Even though a house looks good on the outside, it could have serious ‘hidden’ problems that will add a lot to what you are paying for the house. Even small problems can add up quickly. A thorough home inspection helps you make an informed decision. After all, knowledge is power.
Sellers are usually required to disclose information about their house upfront, in a disclosure form, but their memory may fail, or most likely, they simply do not know about the deficiencies (issues) that might exist in their very own home. Most buyers are coming to understand the wisdom of a thorough home inspection prior to committing to its purchase. Home inspections have proven to be a positive and educational experience for prospective homebuyers.
By commissioning a home inspection prior to purchase, you're protecting both yourself and your investment, as well as buying a little peace-of-mind.
Be sure to use a home inspector who utilizes the AreaInspectorinspection report. A report conveys to you, the inspector’s findings, and is permanent record of the home inspection. You will spend $250 to $800.00+ for a good home inspection, so it is definitely in your best interest to use an inspector who uses the AreaInspectorreporting system. The type of inspection report the inspector uses, is a reflection of his willingness to do a through and comprehensive job for their client. Receive the report online, or via e-mail, or ask the inspector to print a report. The AreaInspectorReport was formatted for thoroughness, ease of understanding and ease of information retrieval.
Find an Inspector
You should always choose a home inspector who is compliant with state listed regulation, is well trained and educated, and is a member of at least one of the following trusted organizations: National Association of cCertified Home Inspectors NACHI, American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI, National Association of Home Inspectors NAHI, Housing Inspection Foundation HIF, California Real Estate Inspector Association CREIA, and in Canada, the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors CAHPI. These organizations promote ongoing education and define a standard of ethics for their members.
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Inspection FAQ
What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is a visual inspection of the structure and components of a home to find items that are not performing correctly or items that are unsafe. If a problem or a symptom of a problem is found the home inspector will include a description of the problem in a written report and may recommend further evaluation.
Why is a home inspection important?
Home Buyers: Emotion often affects the buyer and makes it hard to imagine any problems with their new home. A buyer needs a home inspection to find out all the problems possible with the home before moving in.
Home Sellers: More and more sellers are choosing to have a thorough inspection before or when they first list their home. First and foremost, you should have a home inspection for full disclosure. You will have demonstrated that you did all you could do to reveal any defects within the home. Second, you will save money and hassle by knowing now what your defects are, not after you have already negotiated a price and are faced with costly repairs discovered on the buyers inspection. Defects found before the buyer comes along allow you to shop around for a contractor and not deal with inflated estimates that a buyer will present.
What if the report reveals problems?
All homes (even new construction) have problems. Every problem has a solution. Solutions vary from a simple fix of the component to adjusting the purchase price. Having a home inspection allows the problem to be addressed before the sale closes.
What does a home inspection include?
A home inspector's report will review the condition of the home's heating system, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic, and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement, and visible structure. Many inspectors will also offer additional services not included in a typical home inspection, such as mold, radon and water testing.
What should I NOT expect from a home inspection?
- A home inspection is not protection against future failures. Stuff happens! Components like air conditioners and Heat Systems can and will break down. A home inspection tells you the condition of the component at the time the component was inspected. For protection from future failure you may want to consider a home warranty.
- A home inspection is not an appraisal that determines the value of a home. Nor will a home inspector tell you if you should buy this home or what to pay for this home.
- A home inspection is not a code inspection, which verifies local building code compliance. A home inspector will not pass or fail a house. Homes built before code revisions are not obligated to comply with the code for homes built today. Home inspectors will report findings when it comes to safety concerns that may be in the current code such as ungrounded outlets above sinks. A home inspector thinks "Safety" not "Code" when performing a home inspection.
Should I attend the home inspection?
It is often helpful to be there so the home inspector can explain in person and answer any questions you may have. This is an excellent way to learn about your new home even if no problems are found. But be sure to give the home inspector time and space to concentrate and focus so he can do the best job possible for you.
What is a Home Warranty?
A home warranty does protect you against components that fail in the future. You may have to pay a deductible (service call fee) when you have a problem. If you choose to have a warranty, be sure and qualify coverage of your problem over the phone with the warranty company before they send a repairman. If you do not, you may find out that your problem is not covered and you still must pay the deductible or trip service fee. If you have a home inspection and you know your furnace or another major component is old, you may be better off to buy a warranty before you purchase. We recommend you look closely at what is NOT covered in warranty company policies as you compare prices.
Top ten home inspection mistakes made by home buyers/sellers
- Online form with AI Inspector reference number
- Found them somewhere else?
- Online form with place to insert inspector name/contact for marketing
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