The Home Inspection
OK. So with the assistance of your buyer’s agent, you found the home of your dreams! You were able to come to an agreement with the seller and you are very excited. Now what? As part of the terms in your contract you may have elected to have inspections done on the home to determine if the condition it’s in is acceptable to you. This is an extremely important period of time for you and your agent since time is of the essence when it comes to these inspections. This is really the only time between offer acceptance and closing that you have the ability to employ qualified professionals to examine the property for you and give you their unbiased opinion on the condition of its systems and components.
Usually, a comprehensive home inspection includes the primary systems of the property including but not limited to heating, air conditioning, plumbing, anything working with electricity, appliances, siding, window function. The inspector, who has to be certified by one of two professional organizations, has the skills and background to provide you with a comprehensive review of these and other features of the home to help you determine if it’s condition is satisfactory or in need of repairs for example. The information gathered by the inspector is usually presented in a written report and may include pictures of items discovered to be in need of attention. Think of the home inspector as your family doctor; if he finds something on inspection that is not the way it should be he will likely suggest you have it evaluated further by a professional who just focuses on that particular trade. Much like the specialist your physician would refer you to should he or she note something out of the ordinary during their examination.
While no home inspector is able to detect every issue that might arise during your ownership of the property, their training gives you great insight into your purchase and can prove highly valuable as you move forward in the transaction. Now you and your buyer’s agent have a detailed tool to assist you in your own decision making and planning.