Time to buy a new car. Oh boy, you look through the paper and decide on a couple, go and look at them and yes, you found one. It sounds great and the private seller is telling you its great. Do you believe him and just buy it? It is buyer beware so most people want to take the car and have it checked out by a "good" mechanic. It's worth the money because you don't want to buy a lemon and you don't want to get stuck with HUNDREDS of dollars in repairs.
Its a great year - now its time to buy a house. You work with a Realtor and eventually find the perfect house for your family. It looks great and the seller has said there are no problems. Still, your Realtor advises you to get a home inspection. "Well, okay, I guess so but I am already spending so much money so who's the cheapest?" WRONG QUESTION. Don't cheap out on this very important step in your purchase. You want the best home inspection possible not the cheapest. A house can be made to look great with a little paint and new carpets and maybe a little home staging but whats underneath the hood? An unscrupulous Seller is not going to disclose if the house was a former grow-op or if it was a quick fix-up without regard for building codes. This purchase could cost you TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars if you buy a "lemon".
Why do people understand the need for a "good" mechanic to inspect a car to prevent them from spending HUNDREDS of dollars in repairs but they fail to see the need for a really "good" house inspection that could save them from TENS OF THOUSANDS in repairs? Maybe it is simply that they don't understand that there are "good" and "bad" house inspectors just as there are good and bad mechanics.
Just like with mechanics, price is not the determining factor in selecting a home inspector. A Buyer should do their own research and not hire someone merely because they quote the lowest price or because they are a relative or a friend of a friend. Hire them because they come well recommended, have the proper tools and equipment and credentials of the profession.
Ask what kind of experience they have and ask for references. Get as many as possible from the inspector and call them all. Ask if you can follow them around during the inspection? How long will the inspection take? The answer to that should be at least a couple of hours. A good inspector will encourage you to take part and will clearly communicate any serious problems.
If there are any significant problems found and you still wish to proceed with the purchase despite them, often your Realtor can negotiate an adjustment to the purchase price to compensate or the sellers may agree to resolve any problems before closing.
Bottom line, a good house inspection can save you money or at the very least, buy you peace of mind. Either way, its worth every penny.
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