Why Should I Have a Formal Home Inspection?
By Patricia Tan
Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay
Falsehood by haste and uncertaintyTacitus, A.D. 56 to 117
The Roman historian Tacitus was certainly not commenting about a modern day home inspection, but nevertheless home buyers should heed his advice.
Nowhere is the Latin phrase Caveat Emptor, (Buyer Beware) more feared than in the real estate market. It really is the responsibility of the home buyer to ascertain exactly what he is buying in terms of the condition of the property.
In most cases, detailed inspections will be performed after a contract for sale of a home has been agreed. Why spend money on professional inspections if you don’t know whether buyer and seller can agree on terms of the sale? There are occasions, however, when a seller may conduct pre-sale inspections of a home in order to give buyers a sense of security in moving forward with a purchase. In this situation, the buyer should still make their own inspections.
It is important to consider inspections at the time you make an offer to purchase a property. Any offer should be contingent upon the buyer being satisfied with the result of any inspections and/or the seller agreeing to make repairs to address issues that arise during the inspections, or giving the buyer the right to cancel the contract.
Home inspections should be carried out by qualified, licensed professionals.
Can a buyer make their own inspections?
Yes they can, but a word of caution. Just how much does the buyer really know about construction and buildings? They may be purchasing a property in another country or state where the standards of construction and the systems used are not familiar. Consider the buyer from Alaska purchasing a home in Florida, and how different insulation requirements would be, or the Alaskan’s unfamiliarity with outdoor pool equipment.
Should you inspect a brand new house?
Many buyers of newly constructed homes do not make a formal home inspection. They choose to skip this step as they believe the builder will remedy any issues under the builder warranty. This is usually the case, but some absentee owners/investors do perform professional inspections, especially if the new home is to be rented immediately. The tenant may not appreciate the importance of reporting problems promptly if those problems do not interfere with their enjoyment of the house. For instance, if an electrical outlet is not working, the tenant may simply use another outlet and neglect to inform the owner, builder or property manager about the issue.
What should be inspected?
The objective of a home inspection is to ascertain the condition of the building. The number and type of components included in the inspection will vary depending upon the particular property, but the inspection should address such things as:
• Type and standard of construction
• Foundation
• Roof
• Windows
• Doors
• Plumbing
• Electrical systems
• Heating and cooling systems
• Appliances
• Pool
The inspection report will indicate the age and condition of the home and whether things are functioning in the correct manner.
A home inspector should be licensed and belong to one of the professional home inspection organizations such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the National Society of Home Inspectors (NAHI).
It is important that the buyer personally select the inspector who will carry out the work. Buyers may receive recommendations from their real estate agent, but a professional agent will be careful not to steer customers to a particular inspector, rather they will encourage the customer to call several inspectors and select the one they feel most comfortable with.
How do I choose a home inspector?
Call the inspector directly or look at their websites. Always check that they are licensed and belong to a professional association. Ask to see an example of the kind of report they produce. Some reports will be made up of a list with check boxes, while others will have more narrative. Ask how many photographs are usually included in the report – especially important if you will not be present during the inspection.
Taking care to choose the right home inspector to carry out an extensive inspection on behalf of a home buyer will most certainly pay dividends and help the buyer avoid what could be a costly mistake. As our Roman friends may have said: Amat victoria curam – Victory favors care.
[1]Patricia Tan was born in England, and her career in international sales and marketing led her to live and work in many countries around the world before moving to Sarasota in 1997. Patricia is a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI), and Transnational Referral Certified (TRC). She is involved in global activities of the Sarasota, Florida and National Association of Realtors, and currently serves as NAR President’s Liaison to U.K. Her real estate business operates from Coldwell Banker on St Armands Key, where her focus is to bring international buyers to the local market. She regularly makes marketing trips to Canada, Asia and Europe, to promote Florida’s Gulf Coast and the Sarasota area in particular. Patricia may be reached at 941-504-9232 or Pat@PatriciaTan.com [2].
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