“Should I get a home inspection?”
September 29, 2016
YES! Wait, was that too abrupt of a start?
Home inspections are often an overlooked part of the home buying and selling process that could save money and time for all parties involved in the long run. For the vast majority of people, their home is going to be their largest investment and largest asset.
On the same note, it will also be the possession that they invest the most money into over time, both for improvement and for repair. If you could shrink that repair cost significantly over time, you would be interested in doing so, right? Well, a home inspection is a simple, routine process that can do just this for you.
The follow tips and advice bits are intended to help you feel more confident investing in a home inspection:
The Negotiation Process (For the Buyer and Seller)
Buyer:
So here’s a scenario for you; You decide not to have a home inspection done on the home you are looking to purchase. You like the neighborhood, you like the structure of the home, and you like the price, so you go ahead and make the purchase. Five months after moving into the new home, a huge rain storm comes through, and all of the sudden your roof is leaking water at a rapid rate. You have damaged ceilings, damaged floors, standing water, and you could have avoided it all with a home inspection. It would have identified any prior damage to the structure of the roof before this incident occurred. Home inspections not only identify problems, they provide peace of mind.
Seller:
In the benefit of the seller, having a home inspection performed before the home hits the market can be an asset in the favor of your home. If you can provide potential buyers with the results from a recent inspection that shows nothing is wrong with your home, you have the higher hand in the negotiation process which means they can’t bid you down on certain damaged features.
Confidence in the safety of the home:
Structural aspects of the home are an absolute must to have inspected. Railings in the home and on the deck, floors and roofs, making sure the walls are level, etc. can cause some concern down the road. Making sure the roof is in good shape will not only prevent leaks, but for those Do-It-Yourselfer’s out there, can also prevent any mishaps when putting those Christmas lights on the roof. Have your home inspected to ensure that it is safe for not only you, but for your family.
So, what exactly do home inspectors typically examine?
A major factor to people choosing not to get a home inspection is they are uneducated on what they actually provide. Here are a few of the checklist items on a typical home inspection:
- Roof
- Siding
- Gutters
- Windows
- Doors
- Decks
- Railings
- Heating
- Plumbing Structures
- Electrical Systems
- Floors
- Walls
- Appliances
- Foundation
- Attic and Basement
- And More!
With this information, you should feel confident in your decision to invest in a home inspection, whether you are the buyer or the seller. Having a home inspection brings peace of mind, protects the largest investment in your portfolio, and avoids future problems and costs that could be incurred down the road. If you want a home inspection in the Columbia, Missouri area and are tired of waiting weeks on weeks to finally make it on someone’s schedule, give us a call at 573-999-1196!