House hunting can be daunting yet fun. The options can be overwhelming that you cannot decide which the best one is. It can also be fun to visualize yourself living in each house as you walk inside.
But before you can be tied to a house emotionally, know what’s underneath all that exterior first. A home inspection is a must for every homebuyer. Some sellers are not all honest with the issues of their houses, desperate for them to get sold.
A home inspector will pay attention to safety hazards, potential costly repairs, and even the smallest of details that can serve as a problem in the future. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a home inspection typically takes two to three hours. The inspector will check the electrical systems, plumbing, roofing, heating and conditioning, the foundation of the house, and other elements.
- Helps You Set a Home Maintenance Budget
Every home needs maintenance, especially ones that are old and have been around for years. A home inspection can give you some estimation since it will be listing down the maintenance needed for your home and if the house will need more than you expect it to. Your home might be less than perfect, so it’s best to know what you’re getting yourself into.
- Reveals Any Potential Hazard
A home inspection can detect safety issues that can badly affect your health if not detected.
Depending on what is uncovered in the inspection, you may still want to bring in experts to check the potential hazards further and to give an estimate of how much it will cost to address the issues found in your home.
Mold testing is a common environmental assessment since mold proliferates on damp surfaces and spreads in homes. Mold can produce allergens that cause sneezing, cough, fever, and skin irritation. Another environmental hazard would be exposed lead paint and asbestos, which is a violation of safety codes.
- Reveals Illegal Installations
Rooms, altered garages, and even basements can sometimes have no proper permit or compliance with the code. If your chosen home has illegal installations and room additions that do not have the right permit, it will affect the insurance, usability, house value, and taxes. This can also add to future finances if you were to fix the problem.
- Serves as a Negotiating Tool
A home inspection will be able to uncover problems that the seller might not be aware of, which can help you make your decision and even negotiate the price of your home. Sure, they’re required by law to disclose problems, but some issues are hard to pinpoint, and the seller can easily miss that.
Expounding on the issue can give you the overall cost of extensive repairs, which you can use as a negotiating tool and get a much better price for your future home.
- Prevents Buyer’s Remorse
Buyers try to close deals to stay competitive within the market. There are buyers advised by their agents to just skip the home inspection to close the deal and avail the home, which can cost them a lot of money since they can meet problems they didn’t know about. Home inspections can prevent buyers from regretting their decision and spending more than they planned for.
After a Home Inspection
Upon receiving the report, you will need to prioritize what needs to be fixed and concentrate on the most important ones so that you can express your concerns about the repairs to the seller.
Decide ahead of time what you can be okay with. If you can’t wait for the repairs to finish before moving in, give the seller a heads up. You can negotiate, for example, that the seller will provide you with funds to make the repairs yourself. If the seller wants to do it themselves, make sure there is a follow-up and a walk-through after repairs.
If the seller refuses to fix or pay the damages, you might want to back out of the purchase contract since that shouldn’t be your problem in the first place.
Final Thoughts
A home inspection is an excellent way to get a professional review of the condition and possible repairs you’ll need for your future home. You shouldn’t be blinded by the exterior, the beautiful patio, or the other amenities it has to offer. Although it can be disappointing to know about the potential damage and repairs your home will need, it is still good to inspect it before closing the deal and making your purchase.
Meta title: 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Skip a Home Inspection
meta desc: A home inspection can be expensive on top of all the costs that come along with homeownership. Still, there are a lot of advantages to conducting a home inspection before buying your new home.