When you are looking to make the greatest investment of your life you don't want to fly by the seat or your pants. Buying Huntsville real estate can be challeng. A home inspection usually costs around $400 dollars. Sometimes it reveals nitpicky little problems like nail holes in sheetrock. Other small problems maybe like a non functioning burner of a and electric range. These aren't that big but you might want them fixed.

What about larger issues. What if there is a weak floor from a water leak while it is raining around a wood deck. Water has been seeping in for a couple of years. It is in an area of the house where you can't see it unless you go under the house specifically looking at that area. It will rot out and be a major repair bill in a couple of years. If this problem is fixed now the underneath wood will only be a little stained.

There will be some small problems found in any inspection. You may want to request the seller repair those and then again, you may not. You want to uncover any big problem that you can't see on the surface.

A home inspector will look for the overall structure and systems of a home. The focus will be on structural issues, plumbing, electrical, foundation, appliances, proper ventilation of gases, water heaters, fire places and heating and cooling systems. They will also focus on doors, windows and cabinets. You don't want to let real problems slip through in your purchase of a new home.

If you don't inspect a home before you buy you are asking for trouble. Alabama is a "buyer beware" state. It is the responsibility of the buyer to ask questions, discover problems, and verify everything. The owner doesn't have a responsibility by law to disclose things.

One thing that could help a buyer legally is to require the seller to provide a property disclosure. Talk to your REALTOR like Bryan Pearl of Huntsville Alabama and ask them to provide one to you. This will cause the seller to disclose the problems or falsify them. You could have some legal recourse if the document is a lie. Even if you get a seller disclosure statement, make sure you get the home inspection. If both of these are good, then you can seriously consider moving ahead with the purchase.