If you are a buyer, might you wonder “Should I have a home inspection before signing the contract”? Or if you are thinking about selling, might you ask, “Should I have a home inspection before putting the house on the market”? The answer to both questions is “yes” – absolutely!
Home inspections allow an objective party to give their opinion on the functionality of the specifics and mechanics of a property. Wonder how much time you have left on the roof? Wonder if there is standing water in the crawl space? How about if the electrical panel will handle that kitchen upgrade you are considering? Or whether there are termites in the garage? Well wonder no more, call a certified home inspector and spend a few hours (and dollars) and get peace of mind.
I advise all of my buyer clients to get a home inspection because a home is one of the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make. You should know all about it, including the ins and outs of how to turn the water off to whether or not the roof will survive another season. Make the purchase contingent on a satisfactory home inspection. That means that all tests you conduct come back positive and to your satisfaction. You don’t want to forgo an inspection, only to find out you have a radon issue or termites. If there are huge issues brought up during the inspection, you may have a case to go back to the negotiating table. Let’s say your inspector finds termites. That could be something you request the seller remedy. Ideally the seller would have identified any major problems in the property disclosures…but why chance it?
For my seller clients, I recommend conducting an inspection prior to putting the house on the market. Why? It will help them get an idea of any repairs that need to be made. If you had the chance to prevent renegotiating on the sales price after you’ve agreed, wouldn’t you? Of course you’ve kept up the maintenance on your home. But having a pre-listing inspection will avoid any surprises. If something comes up, for instance a touch of water in the corner of your basement during heavy rains. A first-time buyer may think the basement floods with each rain fall. However the issue might be an improper placement of a downspout. And the solution could easily be fixed by a handyman, instead of paying for a French drain around the property’s foundation.
Having a pre-purchase or pre-listing home inspection will give both the buyer and seller peace of mind with knowing more information about the property and identifying any issues before getting to the closing table.
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