Home Inspections- Protecting your Investment

Home inspections are a must in my book on every type of home, no matter what the purchase price is or what the seller’s disclosure reveals about the home. You want to make sure your investment in a home purchase is not a costly mistake. Inspections range from 300-400+ dollars depending on the size of the home and location. You can save a ton of money if the house has issues you might not have noticed and get out of the contract without losing very much money or use the inspection as a negotiating tool to lower the price or get the items fixed before closing. With today’s market and all the bank owned properties for sale, buyers are not given a sellers disclosure to view to show the history of the home while the sellers have owned the property, they state "as is". In this situation an inspection can help fill the gaps and give the buyer more details on some of the unknowns. Home inspections are also a good tool for sellers who have an inspection performed before their house goes on the market. This could help insure buyers the home they are viewing is "sound" or a good buy. This also could save a buyer some money if they choose not to perform their own inspection, another plus or reason to consider your home over others on the market.

A home inspection performed by a qualified inspector shows the buyer a detailed analysis about the condition of the home both benefits and detriments. When a home inspector performs an inspection they are looking at major mechanicals, plumbing, electrical, roofing, decks, foundation, overall condition, safety issues, potential/future problems, code violations, mold, radon(additional cost to check), termites (additional cost) and much more. After the inspection takes place the inspector will write up a detailed report with photos that entails everything the inspector saw, deficiencies with possible ways to fix or re-mediate the problem, possible contractors or companies the inspector recommends to complete the work and possible estimations on costs to fix, and provide typical life expectancies on appliances, roofs, furnace, and a/c. Although inspections are a good tool to get an idea on the condition of the home, inspections do not reveal everything. If you are unsure on some of the issues found during the inspection or feel you need further information on specifics, you can have a specialist perform inspections to give you a second opinion.