What to Expect From a House Inspection
You’re beside-yourself happy – you finally found the perfect home! In the perfect community! Within your budget! But wait … before you spend all that money, you need a professional home inspection! Remember the movie The Money Pit? It was hilarious … but nobody wants that to happen to them!
Hire an inspector! Some title companies or mortgage companies require it, but even if they don’t, an inspection is worth it’s weight in gold. After inspection, you’ll have a complete picture of what you’re buying – the good, the bad and the ugly!
Inspection Day
Make every effort to be present when the inspection is taking place. You can follow the inspector around the house and ask questions so you can learn more about your potential new home. If you can’t make it for the inspection, you should meet with the inspector to go over the report in detail.
If you have questions about potential issues or how to take care of parts of the home, feel free to ask the inspector. At the same time, try not to get in the inspectors way. Don’t start inspecting the home yourself, either. If you test a sink while the inspector is testing a shower, for example, you might alter the results.
A Home’s Report Card
Once the inspector completes an evaluation, you will receive a report with the inspector’s findings. Don’t be alarmed if you see a lot of deficiencies noted. Home inspections are detailed, so reports often include many pages, detailing many issues. The majority are small, but be prepared for a few surprises!
The report should include information about how severe each listed problem is, plus recommendations for fixing if needed. Ask the inspector for clarifications on this if necessary.
Next Steps
If the inspection finds more problems than you’re comfortable dealing with, you can choose to back out of the sale or try to negotiate to have the seller make the repairs or lower the price. If you’re satisfied with the condition of the home or the shape it will be in after the seller meets the arrangements of your negotiations, you can move into your new home with more peace of mind.
Source: The New York Times Real Estate Section, written by Megan Wild
Inspection information provided by The Seay Realty Group, dedicated to service and exceeding your expectations. Call us today!
