When you are buying a home in Southern Litchfield County you really do want to have a home inspection from a home inspector with a good reputation. Most real estate agents know quite a few home inspectors and we usually have a list of inspectors that we trust. Personally I have two lists, the "fantastic home inspector" list and the "cold day in hell" list.
What can you expect at your home inspection? Most home inspections in my neck of the woods consist of a few parts. There will be the general home inspection, water and well testing, radon testing and pest inspections. Then you will want to bring in a septic inspector. (Most of the homes I sell have wells and septic systems.)
You will want to be there, the inspectors will review their results with you after finishing. They also explain how things work, go over maintenance that you will have to take care of and discuss any issues they find. They will also provide you with a written report, which can look scary. I always suggest if you don't understand something on the report, call the inspector and ask!
What happens if issues are found? As a rule I generally expect that health and safety issues will be resolved before the purchase by the seller. Not always however. In the case of foreclosures and short sales it is usually an "as is" situation. Sometimes the price already reflects issues, so the seller may decline to repair any issues that come up.
What you can expect is tons of information about the house, how things work, what you can expect from the mechanicals and a guide book on taking care of your used product.
What you should not expect is to use an inspection as a negotiating tool. Sometimes things come up that will require the seller to either repair or give credit, but for the most part I would not recommend you think of inspections as a way to get the house for a cheaper price.
Read the disclosures BEFORE making an offer. Many things that come up on a home inspection are on the disclosures. Not all, not the hidden things. For instance, the roof may be 15 years old, with an average life expectancy of 20 years. The home inspector will tell you just that, but if you expect to get the cost of a new roof off the price of a well priced home it probably won't happen. Consider all factors that you are made aware of and can see before putting your offer together.
Know in advance what is important to the type of mortgage you are getting.
For instance, any time I list a house that has the potential for a buyer with an FHA loan I check for peeling paint. I tell my seller ahead of time to repaint any surfaces that have peeling paint. FHA will require it. So if you fall in love with an antique that has more peeling paint than a 1000 year old fresco paiting, forget about it. Move on. Don't waste your money on a home inspection for this type of house because you won't be getting the loan on it.
If I see any indication of asbestoes I advise the sellers to call in an abatement contractor and get rid of it. If I have found the deck or addition does not have a permit or a certificate of occupancy I tell them to get it right away. The inspector will question these things, so why not take care of it up front? They make a difference to certain types of mortgages!
My best advice about home inspections are simple.
- Make sure you get one. Unless you love surprises and have money to burn, or you are planning on tearing down the house anyway.
- Don't skip a septic or well inspection. Those can be very, very costly repairs. And many times the seller has no idea if the septic system is on the verge of failure.
- Make sure the inspector has a good reputation. Ask other recent home buyers if you can, ask your agent for a list of trusted inspectors, just make sure you ask!
Things you should not expect from your home inspection. Home inspectors don't give estimates. They are not contractors and it would be irresponsible for them to toss out figures for repairs. If something is suspect they may tell you it will require further evaluation by a qualified, licensed contractor such as an electrician for any electrical questions, a plumber for pluming issues, etc. These are the people that will provide estimates of repair.
What's my favorite part of the home inspection process? Oh, I am so glad you asked! It is that point when the septic inspector is all finished and he calls the buyers over to show them exactly how a septic works. The openings to the tank are exposed, the distribution boxes are open and he tells them to take a look nside iwhile he explains exactly how the system works! Most buyers have a look on their faces like... who cares as long as I flush and I never see it again! But pay attention because you will learn what you cannot put into your septic system if you expect it to keep working, and will tell you how often you have to have it pumped.
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