Home inspections are an important part of the home buying or selling process. If you are a home buyer, home inspections can help protect you from buying a home with serious defects like a bad foundation or leaky roof. As a home seller, a pre-listed home inspection will help you see all the repairs you need before you put them on the market. Find out more about home inspections.
What is a home inspection?
A certified home inspector will take a closer look at all functional aspects of the home and determine its safety as a residence. The home inspector will test the operational status of all the main systems of plumbing, electricity, heating and cooling, and check the roof, foundation and exterior of the home. The inspector’s job is not to correct or warn of potential issues, but to be aware of the current condition of the home at that time and concerns about safety or repairs.
When does a house inspection occur during the purchasing process?
Once the seller accepts your offer to buy the house, the contract becomes a pending sale. Over the next few weeks, your lender will want to check the value and condition of your home. This is when the lender orders an assessment, and in some cases, an inspection. Alternatively, if the bank does not require an inspection, you can choose to hire a home inspector yourself.
If you are buying a home in a competitive housing market and fighting multiple offers, you may be tempted to abandon your home inspection to bolster your offer. But this is hardly a good idea. The house may look like a fine condition to you, but it is beyond the surface, or factors that you don’t know about are the problem, and can cause the biggest problem.
How do you choose and hire a home inspector?
The inspectors of the house are trained experts, but that doesn’t mean they see the same issue the same way. You are looking for your best interests, but you want to choose a reputable inspector who understands your desires and needs for your home. Ask the real estate agent to recommend several inspectors who have worked with in the past. You can also ask friends and family for recommendations, check out Open Book Family Inspector reviews, and reviews of Redfin service provider resources.
How much does it cost to inspect a house?
A typical home inspection costs between $200 and $500, with a national average sitting around $336. While this may seem like an unnecessary expense, a thorough home inspection can save you from unwise purchases and costly repairs in the future. Put another way, home inspection fees are an investment in peace of mind. Buying a new home is stressful enough, so you can find comfort in the knowledge that roofs and furnaces will not present you with costly surprises in the short term.
>>Read: How much does it cost to inspect your house?
Who pays for a home inspection?
In most cases, home buyers usually pay for home inspections as it is a requirement by the lender. However, sellers who may be concerned about what will be found in the inspection, or who want to do the necessary repairs before the house is listed, can also pay for inspections of their pre-listed homes.
What does a house inspector actually do?
So why can’t you hire a plumber, an electrician or a foundation company to see your home? Although it is optional, the home inspector is trained and certified to look into all the systems at once without any additional costs or time. Additionally, home inspectors can trust objective opinions as they have no vested interest in being hired for future repair possibilities.
What does the home inspection consist of?
The home inspector will look for defects in the home that affect the structure or safety of the home. This is strictly a visual examination and is informed by training and experience. Inspectors will not look inside the plumbing, sewer systems, or behind walls, and will not move items away from the Foundation. Home inspectors report on what is seen, not what is found.
The house inspector follows the item checklist to start with the roof and move to the foundation. A home inspection checklist usually includes:
Attic grooves and shaping distance drilling, paint or stucco electrical panels, power outlets, light switch HVAC systems – thermostats, furnaces or hot water heating, air conditioners, ventilation plumbing fixtures, faucets, water heaters supplies floors, walls, wall stairs, balcon alleys, balcon road stairs, road power floors on the premises, wall roads, roads for breeding
What does the inspector of the house look at?
The inspector of the house has not seen cosmetic issues. If there are cracks in the wall, they may be careful about it, but if there is no underlying foundation problem, it will not be listed as an item for repair. They are not interested in garden condition, landscaping, or external items that do not affect the safety and integrity of the home. If you are buying a home with wells and purification systems, you will need to hire a technician to come out individually for those inspections. Depending on where you live, other items that may or may not be part of the inspection may include:
Landscaping and above-ground wooden sprinkler sewer sewer swimming pool chimney and fireplace drainage floor roof, or, if covered in snow, hard evidence of wood stained pests such as carpenter ants and termitts, such as tiles, vinyl or carpet exterior items, evidence of hard paint on roofs and rodents, mice or rats
What does the home inspection report tell you about the home?
Once the inspector of your home has completed the inspection, he or she should provide your report in about a week. The report documents all your findings and recommendations for repairs to be made.
Should it be present during home inspection?
As a buyer, being on-site during a real estate inspection is always a good idea. You can ask questions on the spot, see the area of question that the inspector is pointing out, and get a better understanding of the inspector’s recommendations. You can also ask about the condition of your home and the best ways to maintain it to avoid future repairs.
How long does it take to inspect a house?
There are no set criteria for how long a home inspection takes, but the process usually takes about 2-3 hours. For large houses and homes with additional features, this process takes time, but for small homes and condominiums, the inspection only takes 1-2 hours. A home inspection is not something you want to hurry up. This is a critical step in the home buying process and confirms the value of your investment.
What happens after the home inspection?
Once the home inspection report is complete, the inspector will hand out the copy to both the real estate agent and the lender. You will also need to request a copy yourself. This report can then be used to negotiate with the seller about recommended repair items. Sellers can then choose to create repairs, pay allowances to modify them, or renegotiate the terms of sale to exclude those items. You can also determine whether the repair item is worth asking the seller to fix it before completing your purchase, or whether it is willing to do it yourself.
>>Read: Negotiate after home inspection
What kind of corrections are required after a home inspection?
Legally, there are no mandatory home modifications after the house inspection. However, when it comes to major issues that may affect the health, safety and security of the home and its new owner, lenders may require that the issue be resolved before funding. For example, defects such as a local structural problem, such as an attic, chimney or furnace, building code violations, or safety hazards are required. A home inspection is a great way to learn more about the home you are buying. And we will keep you from staying in a major repair you didn’t notice when you made the offer.
>>Read: What are the required corrections after a house inspection?
