WHY I RECOMMEND A THREE STEP NEW HOME INSPECTION TO MY HOME BUYER CLIENTS.
I read this blog this morning and just had to re-blog it! It is so critical to have a Realtor and advocate for you the buyer. I work with reputable builders here in Lindale, TX, but there are those builders that are less than honest that are alive and well right here in Lindale, TX. It is so very important that you seek out a knowledgeable Realtor that will represent you and your interests in the buying transaction. I often get asked by the buyer that is purchasing a new home whether or not they need a home inspection on a new home. YES, you do! I have seen inspections come back with things that needed repaired on a brand-new, never lived-in home.
PLEASE do your homework...... find a Realtor that will represent you and your interests. Typically, a builder will pay 3% to a Realtor that brings the buyer therefore it cost you, the buyer, nothing for representation. The alternative is buying the home yourself and exposing yourself to thousands of dollars lost. How you say?
Will the property you are buying appraise for the purchase price or will you find out a week before you close that it did not appraise out?
What are the sold prices of the homes around your new homes? Are you buying the most expensive house in the neighborhood? How long will you have to wait to sell your home should you need to sell it due to a transfer in 2 years?
Are you making a good investment?
Was the contract that you signed a builders contract or a Texas Real Estate Commission promulgated form? Do you know the difference? Better yet, do you know who each contract protects?
If you are starting to panic right now, you should. It is crucial that you have a Realtor. There are too many things that can go seriously wrong. Please contact me, Kerissa Payne, if you are looking to purchase a new home in the East Texas Area.
IT OFTEN SADDENS ME TO REALIZE THAT PROBABLY 70% OR MORE OF NEW HOME SALES OCCUR WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A BUYER'S AGENT.
FURTHER, PROBABLY 90% OR MORE ARE COMPLETED WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A HOME INSPECTOR. This one surprises me more because all one has to do is Google any builder in the United States and read about the bad experiences of that builders' product.
This post is inspired by Jay Markinich's post this a.m. about a serious design flaw in an unfinished part of the basement of a newly constructed home. This obvious flaw is unlikely to be noticed by 95% of home buyers simply because the consumer is not experienced or trained to identify such design flaws.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS BUILDER DESIGN FLAW??
The builder? Absolutely. Why would they saddle this home buyer with a bath rough-in that is virtually useless??? Who in that company was responsible??
The county code inspector? Absolutely. I can't believe that the proximity of the electrical panel and the plumbing rough-in would not get their attention.
The home buyer? Of course. The home buyer was unwilling or unaware that the home inspector should be an integral part of their home buying experience from beginning to end. If the buyer wanted to save the cost of my recommended 3 step inspection (foundation, pre-dry wall and pre-settlement), they didn't succeed. The cost of cracking that slab and correcting and moving the rough-in will exceed the additional cost of a FULL new home inspection. Home buyers don't want to pay for full inspection services on new construction thinking, as they are advised by the builders sales agent, that the county inspectors will make sure everything is right. Builders often discourage or thwart early inspections (or any inspections) by making scheduling difficult.
The buyer's agent? Well, we don't even know if one existed.
All I can say is, I hope that the likelihood of this happening on my watch would only be because the buyer wouldn't listen to their agent. That happens too.
EXAMPLE BELOW is a home that is in frame and should already have had one inspection by the home buyer's inspector. The foundation should have been inspected which may have identified the faulty location of the rough in for the basement bathroom or electrical panel. The foundation inspection should be performed with the builder's superintendent AND the architectural plans so the inspector can make sure that they are correct and provide for the home buyer's wishes. The home buyer (and agent if there is one) should be present.
Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.
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