A Home Inspection Helps You Avoid Pitfalls

A professional home inspector can play a veryair conditioning, and appliances. He will be on the
important role when you are buying your next house.lookout for fire hazards, mold, and emissions of
An inspection helps a buyer understand the conditioncarbon monoxide and radon gas.
of the residence. It also helps the seller provideThough it is not necessarily required, he may also
accurate information, which helps make the sale.check driveways and sidewalks, the porch, patio,
Because a home is such a major purchase, you willbalcony, septic tank, and the garage or other
need to exercise considerable discernment. Here arebuildings that go with the property. Some of these
a few pointers to help you avoid pitfalls.may require an additional fee.
First, understand that this review is not an appraisal.Your inspector should be properly qualified for your
An appraisal protects the lender's financial interestsstate and local area and should have all the necessary
and is the bank's way of determining if the propertyequipment to do the job. You can expect his
is worth what you have agreed to pay. On the otherservices to cost roughly $400 to $800, depending on
hand, your inspection protects you, the buyer orthe size of the property and the area of the country
seller, by identifying structural or mechanical problemsin which you live.
with the house.The report he provides you should be very specific
Buying real estate can be an attractive proposition inand detailed. It should not be just a quick checklist. It
an economy where home prices are down tens oris a good idea for the report to be accompanied by
even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Would youphotographs. Your report should include digital pictures
believe some people only spend 15 minutes decidingto document the findings. Your inspector should take
on the residence they want to buy? Keep in mindtime to answer any questions you have and define
that no purchase is perfect, and you should neverterms you are unsure of.
buy a home without having it inspected first.Exercise caution when choosing your home inspector.
This is especially true if you want to buy one thatWhile getting a recommendation from your real
has gone through a foreclosure. You absolutely mustestate agent may sound like a good idea, consider
have it inspected. It is possible the previous ownerchoosing an inspector yourself. Avoid any possible
may have sabotaged it in anger over a desperateconflicts of interest by getting an independent
situation. As astonishing as it may seem, homeinspector.
inspectors have found such problems as headers cutAsk trusted friends and coworkers for referrals.
from steps, rafters cut in attics, electric wiring cut,Listen to their concerns and criticisms as well. Check
and in one instance reported motor oil had beenfor recommendations from the American Society of
poured over flooring and carpeting.Home Inspectors (
The thorough analysis of a home inspection brings toVerify the inspector's credentials. How long has he
light areas that need attention so unpleasant surprisesbeen doing business? Does he have a license; what is
can be avoided later. Investing a few hundred dollarsthe license number?
in now can save you thousands down the road.A home inspector can be worth his weight in gold.
The walk-through should take at least two hours andWhen he does his job, he will help you gain
could take as many as six hours. This variesperspective about the home you are buying. You
depending on the size of the residence. Yourneed to know the positives and the negatives. That
professional service person will examine thewill help avoid pitfalls and keep all parties involved
foundation, roof, gutters, all types of siding, doorsfrom having unrealistic expectations about the
and windows, electrical wiring, plumbing, heating andproperty.