If you asked me to come up with a scenario in which I’d tell my clients to skip having an inspection, I don’t know that I’d be able to come up with anything. If the question is “should I have an inspection” my answer will be “yes” every single time. There is no way to know what potential horrors a house holds until you go through it with a fine tooth comb. The $400-$800 you’ll spend is worth every single little penny. Hopefully the results of your inspection are wonderful, but if they aren’t, you’ll be so relieved to know about it before going through with the purchase.
Home Inspection
During a showing, buyers will often ask “will that pass inspection?” They see something that obviously needs work and wonder how that will affect the transaction. Inspections are informative, they are not a pass or fail. The point of the inspection is to identify health and safety issues as well as major repairs that may be needed. Think of it like a wellness visit to the doctor. The inspector is determining the health of your potential new home. In the end, after you have all the necessary information, it is your choice whether you’d like to move forward or terminate your contract.
A professional inspector will investigate the structure, construction, and mechanical systems of the house. Depending on the house and who you hire, this usually includes checking these areas:
- Electrical Systems
- Plumbing
- Water Heater
- Windows
- Ceilings
- Walls
- Insulation
- Ventilation
- Heating & Cooling
- Flooring
- Garage
- Roof
- Evidence of Pests
- Foundation
- Crawl Space
Whether you attend the inspection is up to you and whether or not you can make it fit your schedule. I will be present either way. If you attend, the inspector will go over their findings with you once they are finished. You will receive a report within a few days and at that time we will review it together and discuss how you would like to proceed.
I discourage my buyers from asking for small or cosmetic repairs and always recommend that they prioritize. Sending the seller a long list of trivial repairs is asking for them to become defensive and resistant to helping. Focusing on a few key points will usually get you much further. Common requests could include having a plumbing issue corrected, a roof replaced, a break in the sewer line repaired, or upgrading dangerous electrical. Try to ask for things that would be a deal breaker should they not be remedied before closing. Once you’ve decided how you’d like to move forward, we can start in on negotiations by putting your requests on paper. This response has a few options including terminating the agreement, requesting repairs, renegotiating the sales price, asking for credit, or informing the seller that a second inspection is needed. If the amount of work exceeds what you’re willing to take on, or major problems are discovered, you have the opportunity to get out of your contract without losing your earnest money.
The inspection timeline looks something like this:
- The inspection will be scheduled within the inspection contingency period.
- The inspection will be completed and the report should be received within a day or two.
- We will review the report and discuss your options for moving forward or terminating the contract.
- I will send your response to the listing agent. If necessary, the seller will respond within 3 days either agreeing to your terms, rejecting your request, or offering an alternative.
- At this time, if your response is necessary, you will have 3 more days to respond. You and the seller must come to terms before the end of this 3 day period.
- Seller will complete any repairs that were agreed to. Recipes or invoices will be provided.
Sewer Inspection
Some agents will say that sewer inspections only need to be performed on homes over 20 years old. I disagree with that. I feel that if your potential new home is connected to the public sewer, an inspection is critical. Sewer line damage is expensive, can cause serious issues, and repairs are potentially invasive. You could find out that the entire line, from the house to the street, needs to be replaced. Negotiating that repair with the seller could save you 10, 15, even 20 thousand dollars depending on the property. Even in new construction, mistakes can be made, and the peace of mind is worth the $250.
If you need recommendations for home or sewer inspectors, let me know! I have a list of wonderful professionals that I have worked with extensively.
