Home inspectors actually save stress, even lower prices
For buyers and sellers, having a professional house inspection can ensure a happy sale.
According to a study by the American Society of Home Inspectors and the National Association of Realtors), about four out of five homes sold in the nation are inspected before sale.
No wonder: An inspection helps parties on both sides of the sale.
For the buyer, the inspection is an obvious contingency. Buyers don’t want expensive surprises after sale. A home inspection reveals the systemic condition of the home, not just whether the paint is new.
Inspectors take a close look at the home’s inner health in 10 areas: interior and exterior, structure, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation, and fireplaces.
These evaluations are detailed. For example, in the case of roofs, inspectors will study shingles, flashings, roof drainage, skylights and chimneys.
Of course, even a house with some problems can sell, but the price will reflect needed repairs
That’s where the seller’s inspection comes in.
A seller is just as motivated as the buyer to know what is wrong with a house because necessary, but unfinished, repairs mean a lower price at sale, or even a deal that falls through.
A home inspection gives sellers the chance to fix things before the house goes on the market and it is an important part of the clean-up, fix-up process.
You might not want to put on a new roof, but repairing the flashings and roof gutters, puts your house in a solid light. Buyers might not expect a new roof, but they don’t want to find leaks.
There are a variety of specific things that a home inspection can look for, depending on an individual’s concerns. For example, a radon inspection checks a home for levels of radioactive gas and takes between two and seven days to complete. A termite inspection looks for damage to the wood structures of a home. With homes that have a well for water, well water testing is another option; for homes with a septic or oil tank, examination of those structures may be part of an inspection as well.
A general inspection should consider the condition of the roof, the water pressure and plumbing, electrical outlets and switches, and the crawl space and attic, according to HGTV.
Finally, if you have a home inspection, find a place to sit down and relax. Don’t follow the inspector around. After all, the inspector is working for you and the report will be for you only.
