For Your Protection: Get a Home Inspection!

Considering purchasing a home? Have some questions about the inspection process? Hopefully this will answer any questions you have!

• What does a home inspection cover?A general home inspection by a reputable and licensed home inspector is going to give you a snapshot of the home’s condition on that day of the inspections. They will examine the systems of the home, note anything not working as intended, check for safety concerns, and document existing issues. This is included but not limited to the structure, roof, insulation, exterior condition of brick/siding etc., plumbing, electrical, appliances, heat and air systems, hot water tank, and fixtures. It is pretty thorough but if larger issues are uncovered, you may need to pay for an additional inspection. Think of it like going to the doctor for a check up but if they find something wrong, they may refer you to a specialist.

• What kind of other inspections might I need?
  Depending on what is uncovered during your inspections, you may need to employ a specialist to look a little deeper into the issue. While a home inspector is licensed for inspecting homes, most are not licensed HVAC technicians, electricians, or roofers. Depending on the age and condition of your home as well as what the home inspector discovers, you may want to pursue additional inspections such as a more thorough HVAC inspection, a duct scope (specifically if the heat and air ductwork is in the slab), a sewer scope (if the home is old, sewer line has not been replaced, and/or drains seem slow), a roof inspection (if excessive damage is noted, we need to make sure you an get insurance on it!), or possibly a structural engineer’s inspection.

• What do inspections cost?There are a few factors that play a part in the cost of your home inspection from the size of the home, whether or not it has a crawl space, and the individual inspector’s pricing. We generally recommend having $500 handy to cover this expense. Keep in mind that any specialists may cost more; some are free and some can run up to an additional $500. Ask your Realtor® what inspections they recommend or any concerns they have to help give you an idea what to expect on the particular home you’re interested in.

• When do I get a home inspection? Can I do that before I offer on a home?Some people are concerned to write an offer on a home without already knowing the condition. However, that’s why getting a home inspection is an important part of your purchase! We always recommend that you negotiate your offer first and then move forward with your inspections. If you were to pay for inspections before negotiating your contract, someone else could work out an offer and you would’ve just paid for inspections on a home you can’t purchase! Your inspections are a contingency on the contract; you don’t have to move forward with the contract if we can’t negotiate the repairs and you get the “Earnest Money” deposit back.

• Why do I need a termite inspection?If your loan is FHA or VA, the government will require that you receive a termite inspection as part of your home inspections. Termite inspections typically cost less than $100 and most companies provide a one year warranty on their inspection as well. Even if you don’t have an FHA or VA loan, we will still recommend that you have the home inspected for termites (which also includes other “wood infesting organisms” such as carpenter ants). Those wood eating buggers can cause a lot of damage if they aren’t caught and treated fairly early on! The only time we won’t recommend a termite inspection is if you’re buying new construction; the builder is required to pre-treat the soil before they start building.

• What if we find something wrong? Will the Seller take care of it?The whole point of having a home inspection is that we’ll probably find something wrong!! Even if you’re buying a new home, you’d be surprised how many little things can be uncovered during an inspection. If you’re buying an older home, you need to remember that it’s not brand new and it may have its little flaws and quirks. We recommend that you give priority to important repairs such as the condition of the roof and the functionality of the major mechanical systems. Things such as dried caulking on the exterior that needs to be redone are considered “deferred maintenance” and while it would be nice for the Seller to handle that for us, it isn’t pertinent to the value and is something that you as a future homeowner will have to get used to doing or having done! Now if the Seller has disclosed that the furnace works but at inspections, we find that it does not, that is something that we may negotiate for the Seller to have repaired prior to closing or provides a credit to you in lieu of the repair so that you may have it done after closing. These negotiations are part of what we as Realtors® will walk you through!

• What if I don’t want to buy the house anymore?If the inspections show some major issues that the Seller is not willing to address and we can’t find a reasonable compromise, you are not obligated to continue your purchase! As long as we abide by the timelines set forward in the contract, you can cancel the contract and while you will be out the cost of inspections, you will receive your Earnest Money back.

• What happens if something breaks after I move in?Unfortunately, nobody has a crystal ball and they can’t predict what may happen after you move in. A home inspection may note that something is reaching the end of its lifespan but can only document the condition on that day. In most scenarios, if something stops working after you move in, you will be responsible for repairing it. However, if you let your Realtor® know you’re interested, we can negotiate a home warranty in to the contract that the Seller pays for or you can be billed for it at closing. The home warranty will generally cover items such as the HVAC and appliances for your first year of home ownership with an option to renew after the term. You’ll pay a deductible for each claim but generally, it is a fraction of the cost of the full repair.

• What’s the difference between home insurance and a home warranty?Home insurance covers your home from disastrous events, large scale loss, your personal property, etc. It does not cover the functionality of the mechanical systems of your home or your appliances. A home warranty sort of fills the gap in that way; it covers smaller scale issues that may still be a financial burden for you. We generally recommend a home warranty for your first year of ownership to help you have time to rebuild your savings after closing specifically if the systems and appliances in the home are older. It will cover all your appliances, your hot water tank, your furnace and air conditioner, as well as a few smaller items.

Mold on home walls.

• I’m buying a new home, why would I need a home inspection?A home inspector will look at a new home a little differently than an existing home and will take into account cosmetic items that need to be fixed. You’d be surprised how many times home inspectors will find some items that were not installed correctly in the first place. Since you’re buying a new home, you should expect it to be in new home condition with nothing wrong! A thorough home inspection should provide you a good punch list to turn in to the builder so you don’t need to uncover those items and go through the builder’s warranty after closing.

Still have questions? Shoot us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!