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Should I Get a Home Inspection for a New Home?

By
Real Estate Agent with Shoreline Real Estate

Buyers have asked this question over the years and I thought it would be a good idea to discuss it in my blog.  Of course builders inspect the properties before offering them to the public and try to correct everything on the "Punch List", but things can be overlooked.  Spending a few hundred dollars up front to find out about any problems during an option period allows the buyer to negotiate repairs with the builder before closing.  In one instance debris from construction had fallen in the lines for the kitchen faucet and did not allow the hot water to flow.  It was a simple repair, and the builder corrected it.  In another case, the dishwasher had not been installed correctly and once again the builder corrected the problem.  When you move into your NEW home the last thing you want to be concerned about is repairs, so have inspections done and repairs corrected before closing and move in.

Rockport, TX, also called The Texas Riviera, is located 30 mi. north of Corpus Christi, TX.  It is home to the Aransas Wildlife Refuge, winter home of the endangered whooping cranes, which can be seen in the area feeding on blue crab and wolfberries.  Goose Island State Park, is located on the Lamar peninsula just north of the Copano Bay causeway.  Waterfoul hunting, fishing and water sports are favorites there.  Rockport, TX is home to the only Blue Wave Beach in the state of Texas. It offers a gentle beach, pavilions and a saltwater swimming pool.  Texas Maritime Museum, The Fulton Mansion historic site, Rockport Center for the Arts, and many art galleries and unique restaurants make Rockport, TX a favorite of Texans and out-of-state visitors as well.  Rockport, TX has been listed as one of the top 100 art towns in the country and is home to dozens of artists, photograhers and sculptors who work with The Rockport Center for the Arts and participate in their annual art festival held around July 4th each year. Because Rockport, TX is surrounded by three bays, Aransas Bay, Copano Bay and St. Charles Bay, many homes and properties have access to or views of water. 

Lee Couch is a licensed real estate agent with Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Co. and can help you with your search for property on the Texas coast. Whether you are looking for a vacation home, a retirement home, or land to build, Lee can help you.  She is familiar with the area and can help you search for the property that meets your needs .Visit her web site at http://www.texasbeachbuys.com for all the local listings, or give Lee a call at 361-463-3975.  Email:  leecouch@texasbeachbuys.com

Comments(3)

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Thanks for the run down on the area of Texas you serve along the coast. Home inspectors..another set of eyes and ears to catch whatever was missed. Before sale is the best time to learn of oh oh's.

Mar 28, 2010 06:22 AM
Lee Couch
Shoreline Real Estate - Rockport, TX

Andrew, thanks for the quick response.  I'm new to ActiveRain and blogging so comments are very much appreciated.  Lee

Mar 28, 2010 06:32 AM
Robert Sole
REM Inspections LLC - Winter Springs, FL

You are correct about the need for an inspection on a new home.  I worked as a Quality Control Manager for a couple of builders (something that very few builders have) and have to say that you are at the mercy of the superintendent in charge of the home.  Some of them are very conscientious but unfortunately many are not.  What is more, when the market tanked, many of the better superintendents were let go because they were being paid more.  Now you are dealing with ones that have much less experience.  Even if they want to do things right, they don't know what to look for and are being pressured to get the home done on time.

Keep in mind that the inspections that are done for the builders is mostly done by the City or County inspectors.  First of all, these inspectors usually have very little time to inspect the home so often things get missed.  Also they are only inspecting that he home was built to the building code.  The building code is the very minimal standard to which you can legally build a home.  I don't know about you, but I want a home that I am going to buy built to a higher level of quality than that.

You would be amazed at the things I have found in new homes.  Broken trusses, air conditioners that did not work as they should, cracks and gaps around the exterior that would allow water intrusion and roofs that were not installed properly.  Of course these things might get repaired if reported during the warranty period, but they might also not be discovered until much later when the owner has to pay to repair them.

Getting that new home inspected by a qualified home inspector cn prevent a lot of problems and aggravation later.

Robert Sole

REM Inspections LLC

REMinspections.com

Oct 09, 2010 05:14 AM