Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a complete evaluation, but rather property evaluation on the day it is inspected, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the property can also include for extra, pest inspections, pool inspections, energy audits, Radon testing, water testing, energy audits, and many other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also done (less often) by a home seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by owners simply wishing to care for their homes, prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value as high as possible
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your property:
1. Safety hazards, such as no safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), bare electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
2. Items that could lead to serious flaws – i.e., a support beam that was not tied to the structure properly, a roof leak that could get bigger, or damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
3. Serious flaws, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, and others. These are items that are expensive to fix, which are items requiring over 2% of the purchase price to repair.
Your property inspector will counsel you about what to do about these problems. He/she may recommend an evaluation on more matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the problem areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you call a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are always paid for by a buyer after he or she signs an agreement, right?
This is false! As you will see when you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by way of a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to make their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the situation of the potential home.
Sellers, specifically, can benefit from finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a some of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner is going to be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection can help the homeowner be much more objective in regards to setting a fair price on the home.
· The homeowner can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner may take the report and ensure it is into an advertising piece for the home.