What is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection is an evaluation of the condition of the house structure and architecture, as well as checking if the different areas of the house are still in good working condition such as the roof, the plumbing, heating and air conditioner, insulation, electrical systems, doors, windows, stairs, and others.

Are Home Inspections Required?

You will need to pay extra to get your home inspected but it will be worth every cent that you dish out. Why? Because you probably wouldn’t want to move in knowing that there might be some faulty wiring in some parts of the house, or probably the pipes have leaks, and a host of other problems that the seller didn’t see the need to mention. It would be dangerous even to know that the property you bought can fall anytime because of termites. And, your savings from not having a home inspection done will probably go to the repairs to be made instead of having the seller take care of it.

What if the Inspection Uncovers Problems?

When you give your offer for a property, include a statement that gives you the right to having the home inspected first. A standard contract used by real estate agents usually gives you the right to back out of the contract if the home inspection will uncover a host of problems that you find hard to deal with.

Not all sellers will make repairs. In fact, they will tell you that their property is sold on an as-is where is basis. Know the conditions and terms written in your contract first before signing anything. Do not rely on verbal agreements, they are never binding. Always put in writing whatever compromise was done regarding the repairs, if any where actually done.

Who's the best person for the job?

Get an experienced and honest home inspector, who will tell you exactly what your house needs or the condition it actually is. Do not rely on any other person other than a qualified inspector since they know what to look for and they know what should be the proper placement of the different structures in the house. Even if that someone is your brother who knows a little bit about buildings, do not rely on him too much. A wrong or incomplete evaluation may lead to family quarrels and misunderstandings. So to avoid all these hassles, it is always better to rely on qualified home inspectors.

I'm in love with this house, so it doesn't matter.

Do you actually think that being in love with the house justifies your disregard for the safety of your family? If the problems were just minor ones, then maybe you can get away with it. But if the problem endangers the lives of your family members, such as having faulty wiring which may lead to a fire in your house, then you are being blind to the reality of the situation. A home inspection does not only point out the things that needs to be repaired but also which repair should be prioritized to be able to preserve the safety and integrity of your home.

It's a brand new home. There won't be any problems.

You hope that no problem crops up because not all new constructions are good ones.

Most constructions are done after the offer is final. It doesn’t matter when you plan to do the repairs. What matters is to decide which ones are going to be your priority. Check with your real estate agent on when these inspections are to take place and other evaluations are needed to be done on your property.