Put our experience and knowledge to work on your next home purchase. Hiring another inspector is a RED FLAG you cannot afford to miss!
Remember, because an inspection is not a pass/fail test, it will open the door for renegotiation. You’re not obligated to fix anything, but the buyer can also walk away if they’re not satisfied. In a home sale, there can be two types of home inspections: A seller’s inspection (or a pre-listing inspection) and a buyer’s inspection. A seller’s home inspection happens before the home is listed. Some sellers choose to get their home inspected as they’re beginning to prepare their house for sale, so they can fix any potential issues beforehand and save time in the closing process. We’ll touch on the positives and negatives of a pre-inspection a little later.
Many home inspection contingencies are based on a seven-day timetable. This means that after you sign the purchase agreement and the inspection occurs, you have seven days to back out.5 Make sure there is easy access to the property, from clearing out the entrance to your basement to clearing out any clutter. Take a good look at your roof, are there shingles falling off? If so, it might be time to fix them. Make sure all taps and toilets work. Then check that all the lightbulbs are working in both exterior and interior lights. Fuse boxes should be easily identifiable, take care of leaks and water damage, and if you have a pest or bug infestation, bring a professional in to take care of it before the inspection occurs.The cost of a mold inspection can cost up to $1000 or as little as $295. It will depend on a few factors, including the inspector doing the job, the size and location of the home.78
To file a complaint to ASHI, homebuyers can fill out this form. It is important to note that any enforcement or sanctioning is specifically reserved for state governing bodies. A home inspection is a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a home, often in connection with the sale of that home. Home inspections are usually conducted by a home inspector who has the training and certifications to perform such inspections. The inspector prepares and delivers to the client a written report of findings. The client then uses the knowledge gained to make informed decisions about their pending real estate purchase. The home inspector describes the condition of the home at the time of inspection but does not guarantee future condition, efficiency, or life expectancy of systems or components.
Home InspectionHome inspectors look at the exterior and interior parts of the home, including but not limited to electrical, plumbing, roofing, HVAC, and foundations. Home inspections provide an opportunity for a buyer to identify any major issues with a home before closing. Your first clue that a home inspection is important is that it can be used as a contingency in your contract with the seller. This contingency provides that if a home inspection reveals significant defects, you can back out of your purchase offer, free of penalty, within a specific timeframe. The potential problems a home can have must be pretty serious if they could allow you to walk away from such a significant contract.
But some issues can be deal-breakers: problems with the physical structure of the home, for example, or safety issues such as lead pipes or an improper installation of a furnace or water heater.Talk to your home inspector and real estate agent about the best path forward if you discover these types of issues. Mortgage lenders will need a home appraisal to assess the value of the home you’re buying. An appraisal is part of the borrowing process just like checking your credit score or debt-to-income ratio.