A Buyer’s Guide to Home Inspections for Making a Wise Decision
If you think you already have everything in place to go ahead with a property purchase, think again. Investing in a property or a home is not only monetary financing; it’s an emotional one too, and if you fail in exercising good judgement, you will regret it for the rest of your life.
However, sparing two minutes of your time in reading this post can change this scenario for you. To ensure that smart decision-making, hiring a trusted home inspection service can do wonders for you, only if you know how to make the most of it. That being said, here are a few insights which will open your eyes.
1. What should you ask your home inspector?
Hiring the apt inspector can be very tricky, but not if you know what’s the right thing to ask. Before you hire a service, get references from your known ones and ensure that the services are certified. Coming to the questioning part, ask them about the cost and the areas that they will be covering. When talking about a defect, some of the questions on the table should be- is this normal, should you have experts cater to this, should be worried, can they explain what it means, can you give us some advice and so on. Do not hesitate to ask if you are willing to find the right fit!
2. What do home inspections include?
As a smart buyer, the first question ringing bells in your ear should be about the various parts of a building which will be covered under home inspection. While many people mistakenly believe that every little nook and cranny is thoroughly inspected, it’s imperative that you understand the specific limitations of this job as well. Some of the areas which will be rigorously examined by the leading home inspection services are electrical systems, foundation, attic and basement, ceiling, floors, doors and window panes.
3. Is it mandatory?
The easy explanation for this one is that home inspection before purchasing a property is optional and absolutely your choice. Getting your home checked before paying the final price updates you on the actual condition of the property which can be used to negotiate with the seller on some of the repairs. However, if you don’t want such negotiations, inspections are still advisable as they inform you about the costs that you will be bearing in future and help you introspect whether you are capable of doing the same or not.
4. What about the final report?
Once you have hired a professional service and they have inspected your to-be home as well, you have the right to ask for a detailed report on the condition of the house. Keeping records of such documents will be potent when settling on the final price. In case of any doubts, feel free to clear them out with the inspecting service.
5. What happens after the inspection?
A home inspection can be useful in various steps, but the most important one, as mentioned above, is the negotiation. Most of the times, sellers try to hide the faults to sell the property at a higher price and this where home inspection serves as a guiding angel for you. Their reports bring the reality in front of your eyes, thus helping you save a considerable sum on repairs which would have come as a surprise after a few months of possession. However, don’t expect the seller to pay for every single repair. Highlight only the more significant issues in fewer numbers so the seller feels comfortable in being of assistance too.
Home inspections, when carried out by trusted inspectors, can save you from falling in the trap of sellers who are willing to get a handsome sum for a poor-quality property. Keep these tips in mind when hiring a home inspection service to get what you paid for.
