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Avoid Costly Repairs - Have Your New Bucks County Home Inspected

By
Real Estate Agent with BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors - Newtown RS295531

Getting a home inspection is an important part of the home buying process and it can save you thousands of dollars so it is important to make sure your contract includes a Home Inspection Contingency so you have the right to either negotiate the repairs, or walk away if the issues are just too much for you to take on.  A typical home inspection should also include termite and radon, but there are other inspections you can have done as well such as well, septic and pool.  Depending on which ones you choose to have done the cost can run anywhere from $350 - $1,200.  Having an inspection report in hand will then give you the ability to bring these issues up to the sellers and try to negotiate a solution that works for everyone. Whether that is having the sellers fix the issues and provide receipts for the work done, receiving a credit from the sellers so you can have the work done by your own contractors after you move in, or to walk away from the deal because you cannot come to a meeting of the minds.   It's best to know exactly what you are getting into before the responsibility of your new home is all yours. 

Every once in a while I have a client who says, "What's the point in a home inspection?  The house seems solid and I'll just be wasting a few hundred bucks to find out I have some leaks.  I'd be better off just hiring a plumber." 

That's when I tell them the story about a client of mine who didn't want to do a pool inspection because he just couldn't fathom spending $400 when he could see the pool was holding water.  I kept telling him I had heard horror stories in the past about pools and that he should spend the $400 so he doesn't end up with some out of control issue that would lessen the value of his new home.  A week later we were at the house for our inspection and the inspector ended up finding $20,000 worth of work needed just for the pool!  The $400 my client spent ended up saving him a ton of money and heartache in the long run.

 

On another home inspection my client and I found out that the septic system was completely shot and that the replaement of the system was complicated by the proximity to the well.  Under the Board of Health's rules both a new well and septic system would need to be installed and the cost would be approximately $35,000.  This home was gorgeous and well cared for.  The sellers hadn't ever had an issue because there are only 2 of them, but a family of 4 would've figured out the septic was shot pretty quickly, but without the inspection it would have been too late to do anything about it.  We negotiated with the sellers and my client ended up with a great home with a brand new septic system and well.  He was very glad he paid for the home inspection!

Now not all home inspections are this bad, and for the most part a lot of the issues tend to be minor, or easily resolved between the buyer and sellers.  The important thing is that you keep the right to have an inspection, and through having the inspection done at the very least you'll have a good idea of the state of your mechanicals and roof so you can set a plan to save up for when these items need replacing.  Important knowledge to have when making the biggest investment you've ever made.

If you are interested in buying a home in Bucks County you'll want to work with a Realtor who has great connections with reliable inspection companies, as well as mortgage and insurnce companies.  Over the years I've mad some great contacts and having negotiated some huge hurdles in the home buying process I can put my knowledge to wok for you to make sure your home buying process stays exciting.

 

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