A home inspection, which typically costs between $350-$850, is an important part in the homebuying process. Most buyers want an inspection for safety reasons as well as peace of mind. It is your responsibility to be an informed buyer and you have a right to have an inspection done. As your agent, I’m here to help gather information and resources so you can assess the information and make sure you’re confident about your decision to move forward with buying the property. The inspection will give you detailed information about the overall condition of the property. In a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth, unbiased look at your potential new home. In their inspection, they will do the following:
Evaluate the physical condition including the structure, construction, and mechanical systems
Identify items that need to be repaired or replaced
Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structures, and finishes
A home inspector is a generalist and is knowledgeable across many fields. It is highly recommended that you attend the final 45 minutes of your inspection to do a walk-through with the inspector. They will review some of their major findings and be able to answer any questions you might have about their findings.
After the inspection, the inspector will compile the information, including photos, and put together a report. Typically, they will send you the report the same day or within 24 hours of completing the inspection. If you are concerned with a specific issue, you may want to hire a specialist to look at areas such as sewer, roof, HVAC, plumbing, foundation, etc. I have a list of trusted professionals that I’d be happy to pass along and I’m also happy to help reach out to companies to schedule additional inspections.
If you know in advance that you want more in-depth inspections concerning possible presence of radon, pest infestations, lead piping or paint, asbestos, mold, water damage, or other safety issues, let me know and we can make sure to schedule those inspections on the same day as the general inspection. Like a general inspection, these inspections will be an additional cost.
If there are issues of concern with any of the inspections, you have options. You may decide to terminate the contract due to unsatisfactory conditions. If you do not wish to terminate the contract, but want some items found in the inspection addressed, you can submit an inspection objection. The inspection objection lists the items that are unsatisfactory that you are asking the seller to repair or replace prior to closing. It is possible that the seller may not be willing to do any repairs or replacements, they may offer to do some, and in rare cases, they may be willing to do all of the items listed in the inspection objection. This is an important part in the homebuying process where you’ll be looking to me as your agent to advise you and negotiate on your behalf to ensure you’re moving forward with terms that are agreeable to you.
If you have questions about what is involved in the inspection, inspection objection, or the homebuying process in general, reach out – I’d love to connect!