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Home Buyers in MD and VA - Listen to the experts when buying a home.

By Lenn Harley

Real Estate Agent with Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate 303829;0225082372

November 16, 2014 08:16 PM

Home Buyers in MD and VA - Listen to the experts when buying a home.

First time home buyers are usually anxious to have inspections on the home they are considering.
Smart repeat home buyers usually realize the importance of inspections too.

What do home inspectors offer? Considering everything we now know and most importantly can SEE or HEAR when considering a home to buy, we search just a bit deeper for relative information.

We don't know what we don't know and that is especially true when purchasing something as complicated as a piece of real estate.

Don't assume that everything will be just fine.

In practical terms for real estate transactions, the experts who are most valuable to home buyers are:

home inspectors
pest inspectors
surveyors
appraisers

Home Inspectors. When previewing a home for sale, unless very obvious red flags are right before our eyes, we fail to see defects that could affect functionality or value. THAT is why we have incorporated pre-settlement inspections into many real estate transactions. One thing is for sure, a real risk is relying on home owner disclosures.

In Maryland, the four page Property Condition Disclosure has so many opportunities for obfuscation or omission it's quite useless for buyers.

The Commonwealth of Virginia follows the caveat emptor practice which relieves sellers of the responsibility of disclosure. Home inspections are always recommended.

Home Inspectors know where to look.

Pest Inspectors. These folks are critical to the peace of mind for home buyers. Pest inspectors don't look for the obvious. The look behind the walls or under the house for pests we probably didn't think were there.

Pest Inspectors think outside the box and look where we can't see.

Fortunately, inspections are a routine procedure when buying a home in Maryland and Virginia.

We do NOT want our home buying or selling decisions to be sent to this guy.

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988. Serving home buyers in MD and Va.

Lenn Harley - 800-711-7988

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Roger D. Mucci

Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH

Lets shake things up at your home today!

Listening to the experts may cost a few bucks up front, but will save money in the long run. Sage advice Lenn.

Nov 16, 2014 08:21 PM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Roger. Thanks. I'm often amazed at some of the defects discovered in what we thought were routine inspections.

Nov 16, 2014 08:25 PM

Sally K. & David L. Hanson

EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI

WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Inspection is first and foremost...right after a pre approval from a reliable lender.

Nov 16, 2014 08:39 PM

Sally. BINGO!! Without that pre-approval everything else may just be spinning wheels.

Nov 16, 2014 08:58 PM

Dagny Eason

Wilton, CT

Bill Roberts

Brooks and Dunphy Real Estate - Oceanside, CA

"Baby Boomer" Retirement Planner

Lenn, The buyer's best advice is to employ you. Then all the necessary inspections will be in the contract.

I remember back to when inspections were not routinely available and the buyer had to rely on the seller's disclosures. Not good.

Nov 16, 2014 10:14 PM

Joe Petrowsky

Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT

Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Lenn. It always amazes me when someone says they don't need a home inspection from someone that does this for a living, instead of having someone that doesn't have a clue. Great job with your post.

Make it a great week!

Nov 16, 2014 10:15 PM

Gay E. Rosen

Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY

As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Hi Lenn: real estate is so different around the country and I rather like the idea of the pre-settlement inspection. We do have a pre-closing inspection option as a follow up to the initial inspection to make sure all items have been corrected, nothing has changed and pershaps this is the same.

Nov 16, 2014 11:04 PM

Dagny Eason

Dagny's Real Estate - Wilton, CT

Fairfield County CT, CDPE Homes For Sale and Condo

Good morning, Lenn - Home inspections are always recommended - how about required? (I guess you cannot require it, but it's right up there close to it..) So much can be disguised or just not seen when a buyer falls in love with a home -

Nov 16, 2014 11:28 PM

Bill. Bill. Bill. I too remember when inspections were not routine. In fact, I performed the first home inspection ever done in Charles County in my area. The listing agent was funny. "How long will it take, 10-15 minutes??? HA! It took only 2 hours because the 1500 house had no basement.

I was doing home inspections in Montgomery County in the mid 1980s, where they were not new.

Of course, in those days, there were no seller disclosures. They came in 1994. I remember it well.

Joe. Even with an almost new townhome, with no defects found, one of my buyers said that he didn't mind spending the money for the peace of mind.

Gay. Sounds like the same. Our inspection addendum says that repairs will be made prior to 5 days prior to closing. That's when we do the follow up inspection/walk-through.

Nov 16, 2014 11:34 PM

Dagny. A seller can refuse to permit a home inspection. It's right up front in the Contract of sale. If they do so, then the buyer can simply withdraw the offer.

I've had that happen.

Nov 16, 2014 11:36 PM

Home Buyers in MD and VA - Listen to the experts when buying a home.

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