You are buying a home in Matthews NC.  Negotiations with the seller are complete and the home is under contract.  You are about to begin the next phase of the home buying process:  having the home inspected and negotiating repairs.  Unfortunately, for many buyers the home inspection process is more stressful than negotiating the contract.  This series of articles will give you an overview of this process and identify resources to help you make educated decisions about your real estate purchase.

What inspection rights do you have in the North Carolina contract?

• You have the right to inspect all permanent improvements to the property.  This includes mechanical systems, such as appliances, wiring, plumbing and heating and cooling.  It also includes structural components, such as roofing, foundations, fireplaces, windows and doors, crawl spaces and attics.
• You may inspect the water and sewer systems.  If the property is on a well and/or a septic system, specialized inspections will need to be done.
• You may inspect the drainage systems around the house.
• You may inspect to see that there is no existing environmental contamination, such as asbestos or lead.

What other inspections are allowed by the North Carolina contract?

• You have the right to get a wood-destroying insect report from a licensed pest control operator.
• You have the right to have the property tested for radon.

What is the timetable for the inspection and repair negotiation process?

• All inspections must be completed within a certain number of days after the Effective Date of the contract.  This Repair Notice Date is negotiated between the buyer and seller and generally falls within a 10 to 15 day period.  You will be expected to make your repair request in writing by this date.
• The seller must respond in writing to your repair request within a negotiated time period, usually 3 to 5 days after your written repair request.
• You will then have five days to respond in writing to the seller's response.

Does the seller have to make every repair that you request and what rights do you have if he doesn't agree to your request?

• Once the seller receives your written repair request, he can agree to complete the repairs or he can refuse to complete the repairs.
• If the seller refuses to complete any or all of your requested repairs, you have the right to accept the property "as is" or terminate the contract.
• If the seller doesn't respond to your repair request within the negotiated timetable, you have the right to terminate the contract.
• If you don't answer the seller's response within the five day timetable, then it is assumed that you agree with the seller's response and you do not have the right to terminate the contract.

What if the home inspections reveal an a large number of costly defects in the home?

• The North Carolina contract includes a cost of repair contingency that allows you to terminate the contract if a reasonable estimate of the total repairs equals or exceeds a negotiated amount.  This amount is typically $3000 or $5000 or possibly 1% or 2% of the contract sales price.
• To exercise this right, you must present your estimate of repairs within 7 days after the Repair Notice Date.
• The cost of termite treatment and radon remediation may not be included in the repair cost estimate.

A thorough understanding of the home inspection process will help you eliminate some of the stress and become a better negotiator when you buy your Matthews NC home.

Want to know more about buying Matthews NC real estate?

Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

 About the author:  Carol Fox of Allen Tate Realtors is a veteran agent who has been assisting Matthews home buyers for over twenty years.

Copyright 2008.  Carol Fox.  All rights reserved.  "Buy a Matthews NC Home:  Understanding the Home Inspection Process"