A home inspection should be fairly close to the top of your list before buying a home. A detailed analysis of the home’s condition is a peek behind the curtain, as it were. Since your new dwelling will be one of the most important investments of your life, avoid shortcuts that in the long run will end up costing you more. Although an inspection may seem pricey on the front end, it’s considerably cheaper than replacing plumbing, or dealing with foundation issues or mitigating radon gas. Regardless of the price, a home inspection is still considered to be an inexpensive way to find out the true condition of your home.

Every home has its secrets, shortcomings and risks. This is your first opportunity to see the real status of your new abode and get to know it intimately and provides you with critical data to make informed decisions and see exactly what you are about to acquire. This will help detail which repairs are pressing and which can be delayed, and what you might expect to be done before you purchase. Knowledge of your potential home is an excellent bargaining tool. You can suggest potential safety hazards be addressed or negotiate for a lower price.

What may be a deal breaker for some will not be true for everyone. A good home inspector can potentially help you avoid being financially responsible for a money pit. He will point out future issues so you can prepare for them. Sometimes an inspector recommends an additional inspection. You would be wise to heed his advice.

Additional home inspections:
• Evidence of destructive organisms. Pest and insect problems
• Radon gas (ask your inspector)
• Well water testing
• Septic tank inspection
• Lead-based paint and asbestos

This is not an appraisal. This is not to determine the value of your house. Again, it is a visual inspection to reveal safety, condition, system defects and hazardous materials.

Scan through this  checklist  to see what inspectors look for. It is never recommended that you attempt to inspect your home on your own. Your professional home inspector has years of exeperience and will want you there.  They want to inform you and answer your questions. A good one can tell you the price ranges of any number of repairs. If they don’t want you present, it’s a red flag. Here’s a general list.

• Appliances
• Windows
• Roofing
• Air Conditioning
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Heating Systems/furnace
• Mold
• Structural issues

States vary so You will want to conduct your own research and find your own home inspector. You can get one on the recommendation of friends or family or look into the AHIA. A realtor’s job is to sell a home and the buyer wants to sell. You want someone looking out for your best interests, not someone who has an agenda. You can locate an inspector through referrals or American Society of Home Inspectors includes Canada.

This may be the single largest purchase of your life. The normal life of a home has plenty of built-in costs. The peace of mind that comes from knowing what you can expect will help you sleep more soundly. Many homebuyers who waive their right to a home inspection often regret that decision in the future when problems arise. They may be minor or life threatening. Is it worth the risk? Such a decision can end up costing tens of thousands. It gives they buyer an out if they are not comfortable with the condition of the property. Learn everything you can before signing the dotted line and turning over your hard-earned money.

One couple stumbled onto an excellent looking property below market value, just exactly at their price point. After preapproval, the would-be home owners hired a building inspector. During the inspection, they were shown outdated hazardous wiring, dangerous DIY patch-ins and significant foundation troubles. Rotting sill plates and black mold made this property a health hazard. The buyers wisely walked away.

Though disappointed, they sighed with relief feeling they’d dodged a bullet.
Without that inspection, every extra penny of their future income would be going toward repairs on a home instead of toward cosmetic fixes they had imagined. They saved themselves years of anguish. That’s the value of a great home inspector.

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