As if sellers trying to sell their home don't have enough to worry about! Now when their buyer gets an inspection report there will be a new category: "D" for Deficiency!! If our kids come home with a report card with a "D" are you or your son or daughter happy?? What kind of reaction do you expect a seller and buyer to have when they encounter "D's" on their inspection report??
Instead of the previous "R" (Not functioning or In Need of Repair) 
designation as of Feb.1,2009 that will be removed from the inspection report and replaced with the "D" (Deficiency). To ensure that customers are informed of hazards and the potential for injury or property loss the Standards of Practice (SOP) is requiring licensed inspectors to report these conditions as "Deficient". No more "grandfathering" is allowed.
The SOP alerts consumers to potential hazards in the home, and how to fix them. These conditions likely did not violate building codes or common practices at the time of construction of the home, but since they are considered a hazard by current codes/standards they must be documented. These disclosures are fine but this should not mean bringing a house up to current code to sell. Many choose to purchase an older home for various reasons: they like the older neighborhoods and enjoy the flavor of an older style and with it comes outdated codes.
Home inspections will now take longer in Austin due to the new items that have ben added to the SOP. Inspectors will need to be more thorough in their reporting as well. There is a chance fees will need to increase due to the extra time the inspector will need to complete all items.
Agents need to educate sellers for the upcoming changes as well as buyers. The reports are designed to educate the consumer to potential life safety procedures and make the consumer aware that property conditions change with time and use.
Comments(3)