We have seen first time home
buyers make some critical errors in regard to the home inspection process that
can cost them money and aggravation. We offer the following advice as a guide
to help you avoid those mistakes.
1- Not Having a Home
Inspection: Some people do this to keep from spending 100s of dollars, but end
up potentially costing themselves 1000s
It makes no sense.
2-Allowing the Seller to do
repairs on Home Inspection findings. The
Seller has an incentive to use the lowest bidder to do repairs; or worse, do
the repairs themselves. In this case,
the warranty on the work may not transfer to the new owner after the closing
happens, then you are stuck with inferior work and little recourse. Sometimes Real Estate Agents will ask Us to
inspect after the repairs are completed by a Seller. We don't recommend this as most of the time,
we end up having to throw off on the repair, costing the buyer additional money;
and making the agent and seller mad in the process. A better approach is to use
our Repair Cost Estimate that is included with every Home Inspection, to
estimate costs and negotiate. Then, hire
your own contractor after taking possession of the home to perform the needed
corrections. When you use licensed
contractors and obtain proof of general liability insurance, the work is
then "warranted" to you by State Law and is done to your tastes,
style, etc.
3-Not Attending the Home
Inspection: We often have buyers tell us
that the agent said they did not have to be at the inspection, so, they chose
not to attend. The inspection is Your
opportunity to get a second look at the property, get some questions that may
turn in to issues later answered, and feel better in general about the process.
4-Falling in Love with a
house: We tell people right off that
"the perfect house has not been built yet". Letting your emotions guide you may cloud
your judgment and keep you from being objective. Expect the home inspection to find a lot of
things wrong and be savvy about what to do with those findings. Think like an investor.
5-Choosing the cheapest Home
Inspector: Like the person who skipped
the home inspection, this is a bad strategy. As Ben Franklin once said:
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low
price is forgotten". The best case is that you saved $100, but that low
priced inspector might miss a 5 figure defect!
Not a great return! Like a good Surgeon, great Home Inspectors are busy.
Don't expect the best inspector to be able to do the inspection when you want
them because that is your only day off, etc.
Buyer's concerns and other issues should be brought to the inspector's
attention before the inspection so that all your concerns are addressed, but
attendance at the home inspection, while encouraged, is not mandatory. After all, would you trust your health to a
Doctor who just graduated from medical school, or, would you want the best,
most experienced, and highest rated Doctor? Get the most experienced and
highest rated Home Inspector, not the cheapest, most readily available one.
6- Skipping the Radon Test,
Septic Test, Water Test and Mold Test.
This is your time to discover all you can about your prospective
home. Not only can skipping these tests
result in a less healthy place for you and your family to live; skipping can
also cost you when you sell the property and the new buyer has those services
performed.
7-Not following up on Home
Inspection findings. Sometimes further
investigation by a specialist is warranted and recommended by the Home
Inspector. Do follow up! Not following up on a Structure, Water or
Mold issues, for example, can cost you big down the road. Also, please note
that our Repair Cost Summary is limited to repairs that have a limited
scope. Structure, Water Intrusion and
Mold issues require additional investigations to determine the scope of repairs,
and cost is based on that scope. So, do
your "due diligence" and Happy House Hunting!
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