Real Estate Blog

There are many necessary costs to purchasing a home, and a home inspection is one you definitely shouldn’t skip.  

• It Provides an “Out” - A quality home inspection will reveal critical information about a house.  THis allows you to be aware of what costs, repairs and maintenance the home may require immediately. If you aren’t comfortable with the findings, it usually presents on las opportunity to back out of the offer to purchase.

• Safety - A home inspection can detect safety issues like radon, carbon monoxide, and mould.  

• Reveal Illegal Additions or Installations - A home inspection can reveal whether rooms, altered garages or basements were completed without proper permit, or did not follow code. This can affect insurances, taxes, usability and overall value.  Even new homes where systems were not installed to code will become the new homeowners’ financial “problem” to fix and finance.

• Protection - Inspections are even more critical if you are purchasing an “as-is” foreclosed property. Homes that have been long vacant may develop hazardous problems which could be costly to remedy and may pose health concerns.

• Negotiating Tool - The home inspection report presents an opportunity to ask for repairs and/or request a price reduction.  Your REALTOR will help you understand what requests can and should be made.

• Forecast Future Costs - Home inspectors can approximate the installation age of major systems like plumbing, heating, and critical equipment like water heaters.  They can diagnose the current condition of the structure itself and tell you long finishes have been in the home. Understanding when some of these big ticket items will require replacement can help you make important budgeting decisions.

• Determine “Deal-Breakers” - The home inspection will help you identify how much additional money or effort you are willing to spend to take the home to a condition that is personally acceptable.  If you are unwilling to repair issues such as faulty gutters, cracked walls or ceilings, perhaps you’re not quite ready to end your home search.

• Learn to Protect Your Investment - The home inspector is a valuable educational resource, they can suggest specific tips on how to maintain the home and ultimately save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

• Reveal the Big Picture - It’s easy to fall in love with a property based on the location, color of the walls or something else that could make you blind to issues that cause your dream home to become a nightmare.  The home inspection will help you understand all of the nuances of your biggest purchase.

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• buying a home (9)
• home inspection (3)