Home Inspections
As a buyer, it is up to you to know the condition of the home you are buying. And when negotiating your sale, include obtaining a home inspection. This will be an expense that you will be charged at the completion of the inspection, but could be money well spent if there are issues that are not visible to you. An inspection is an opportunity to have an expert look closely at the property you are considering purchasing , providing you with their opinion of the condition of the home and explaining any maintenance issues that should be addressed presently, short and long term.
Home inspectors are not licensed currently, but you can make sure that they have the necessary expertise needed to perform your inspection. Ask for their credentials, and if they are a member of ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) which does have criteria for membership. Most inspections take approximately 2-3 hours, and you may be required to attend the entire inspection or invited to come at the end to review the inspeciton report as it pertains tothe property. This gives you a chance to ask questions about the property and get answers that are not biased. In addition, the oral comments are typically more revealing and detailed than what you will find on the written report. Once the inspection is complete, review the inspection report carefully.
Most contracts of purchase contain a contingency clause for the home inspection and require that any items that need to be addressed be done within a certain time frame. To comply, you must place your concerns in an addendum and submit to the sellers according to the specified time period. Depending on how your home inspection contingency is written, the seller may or may not opt to comply with your requests. Its very important for you to understand the intent of your clause and perfom as necessary.
A list of local home inspectors is available under resources.
