What a great week walking through open houses and looking at the homes in your dream neighborhood! You have been searching for your dream home and have finally found what may be your next castle, palace, paradise, and place of residence!! But hold on for a second, have you had the home inspected by a professional home inspector? How do you know if there are any problems lurking with this home? For first time buyers and even repeat buyers home inspections are a crucial part of the home inspection period, maybe even the most important.
Some questions you might want to ask your real estate agent are?
1. How do I choose a good home inspector for the state or province that I live in?
2. What are the qualifications and background of the home inspectors that I am looking for. Ask them and get it in writing if possible.
3. Find out where your home inspector went to school, what type of licensing they have, and how long they have practiced in the field. What kind of a report will they provide? Do they have a background in construction, architecture, engineering etc.
One final note of importance, make sure that your real estate agent has been practicing in the field for several years and actually cares about you as a lifelong client. A good real estate agent will help you in the interviewing process because they want you to be a life long / long term client, have good home appreciation, and buy a home that of course they will be able to resell!
Review your home inspection carefully and work with your agent and other advisors to deduct if this home even after seller repairs are made will be worth it to you.
A home inspection may cost you $250, but a good home inspection is priceless if you want to really have an expert opinion about the home you are considering purchasing. Many people think that they don't need or can't afford a home inspection. The question I pose is will you be able to afford thousands and thousands of dollars of repairs after the home closes escrow and something that could have been detected by a professional home inspector was identified and corrected by the seller.
Why take on the seller's lack of maintenance, when you can use this as a negotiating chip in the home purchasing process. Employ the best realtor that you can too, it will make all of the difference, ask them for their professional resume!
Protect your families interests and consider consulting with your professional representation on how you can prevent this most common problem in the real estate industry. Of course consult with your own legal counsel, real estate agent, accountant, and other professionals and advisor's relating to this articles content. The author of the content of this article accepts no responsibility for the implementation of this articles content and it is purely for informational purposes and for informing the public about potential issues relating to consumers and the real estate negotiation process. Please consult your professional counsel about implementing any of this information for your individual situation first. All situations are unique and very different consult your attorney or real estate professional representation before considering to use any of the above information.
It is very important that you choose a qualified home inspector who has plenty of experience with residential homes in your area. It can literally save you thousands of dollars by helping you avoid the common pitfalls of purchasing a home. The knowledge and expertise of a professional home inspector will far surpass that of even the most experienced homeowner. There are aspects of maintenance, home safety, construction and installation could be missed by the untrained eye.
Most home buyers cannot remain openly objective and unemotional about the house they really want, and this could affect their judgment. It is a wise decision to acquire an impartial, third-party opinion by a trained professional.
Are there termites? Is there a mold problem? Will my kids be safe from lead-based paint and other hazardous materials? These questions and hundreds more will be answered by hiring a great home inspector to evaluate the home you're considering for purchase.
Note that you are looking for a great home inspector. A home inspection is truly only as good as the inspector conducting it. You should take hiring a home inspector as seriously (or more so) than you'd take hiring any other professional who has your life in their hands. They may actually have your family's safety in their hands, depending on how good they are at finding problems associated with properties.
Home inspector's abilities and experience vary greatly from one to the next. There are several new franchise companies that recently entered the industry, and you want to make sure you're not hiring a brand new inspector who just bought into the latest franchise. One way to quantify the quality of a home inspector is to contact a national or state association of home inspectors to find out what certifications are required for membership, and if there are any members in your area that they'd recommend. He or she should know how the home's systems and components are intended to function together, as well as why they fail. You may also want to ask your real estate Agent for a list of reputable companies they've worked with in the past.
An inspection by a qualified inspector should cost between $300 and $500 and give you a good idea of what future repairs will be needed. You can make your purchase contract offer contingent on a favorable inspection and may use the results of the inspection to your advantage. If the home inspection results do not meet your approval, you can get out of the contract if you would like. A great home inspection can not only help you avoid pitfalls, it can also help arm you with items you and your real estate Agent can use to your advantage to negotiate a better deal.
What the Home Inspection Should Cover
At a minimum, the home inspector should examine the following:
1.Exterior structural components including the foundation, roof, siding, and chimney
2.Interior structural components including the basement or crawlspace, attic, flooring, and ceilings
3.Major systems including heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical
You should make every effort to be present during the home inspection. Keep in mind that the inspector is working for you, not the seller or Agent or anyone else. They are on your payroll and should treat you as such. So, don't be shy about walking around and asking questions. This will give you a firsthand look at any problem areas associated with your future home.
Once the inspection is complete, you should receive a "Comprehensive Home Inspection Report" with descriptions, and possibly photographs, of any problems with the home. Sometimes, this will be sent to you later in the day, but some inspectors have means of printing a copy for your right on site.
Both Rick And Jennifer Leforce & Dirk Zeller are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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