When buying a home, it’s important to understand why a home inspection is important and also have a good understanding of what the process entails. A home inspection is an examination of the physical structure and systems of a home. Not only will this tell you about the condition of the property, it could directly impact any negotiation you may want to have about how much you will pay for the house.
While a home inspection is not required in all real estate transactions, it is highly recommended. In this article, we will discuss 4 common mistakes that people make during the home inspection process and how to avoid them:
- Not checking credentials of the home inspector
Hiring a qualified and reputable home inspector is almost as important as having an inspection carried out. After all, if an inspector fails to uncover any serious faults with the property, there’s the possibility that you’ll be saddled with a home that has a major flaw to fix, as well as become embroiled in legal disputes. Keep these points in mind when hiring a home inspector. First, you’ll want to make sure that the inspector is licensed and insured. You’ll also want to ask for references from past clients. Finally, check with your state’s licensing board to see if there are any complaints against the home inspector you’re considering.
- Not being present for the inspection
Attending the inspection isn’t required, but your presence there will probably give you a much more thorough understanding of the property you’re considering.
While you’d expect a professional to carry out their work just as well whether their client was present or not, it doesn’t hurt to be on hand to inquire about anything that you spot and would like to talk about directly. Seeing firsthand, what issues may be there with the trained eye of an inspector will give you a deeper insight into the property.
- Focus on the bigger picture
When doing a home inspection, be sure to keep your priorities in mind. Be on the lookout for red flags with the property so that you can approach the seller with a reasonable list of repairs that should be fixed before you close the deal.
With that said, there are certain things that you should not focus on when doing a home inspection. For example, cosmetic features like paint color or wallpaper are not as important as structural features like the foundation or roof. Additionally, small repairs like fixing a loose doorknob or minor electrical issues are not any real cause for you to start having negative feelings about the property. If the house is sound, then minor matters are easily addressed.
- Not getting negotiated home repairs reinspected
Negotiated repairs are common in real estate transactions – the buyer and seller agree on a list of repairs that need to be made before the sale is final. While it’s standard practice for the seller to complete these repairs before closing, it’s always a good idea to get the home reinspected afterwards.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, it’s possible that the repairs were not done properly. Also, even if the repairs were done properly, there could be other underlying issues that were not addressed and which may come up.
Home inspections give a certain amount of peace of mind when it comes to making one of the biggest investments you’re likely to make. Keep these tips in mind and make sure that your home inspection does all it should.
For further information about the home buying or selling process and to make your own venture successful, contact our team by calling 908.436.7947 or by sending an email to here.