The Value of a Home Inspection. Getting your home inspected is one of the most vital steps you can take to ensure your new home is everything you expect a high quality structure, safe for your family, and a compelling long-term investment.
Unfortunately, many people do not fully comprehend the mechanics of a home inspection OR what they are required to do to get the most out of it. A big mistake with this process can result in time intensive and costly repairs. Read more to find out what home inspectors feel are the five biggest mistakes home buyers make during the home inspection.
Avoiding an inspection since the home is “new”
It has been observed that even expert homebuyers sometimes make this costly mistake. Their assumption is that by clearing all local codes and ordinances, a home must be in good shape. However, not all home builders are of equal quality. Some take shortcuts to boost their profits at the expense of the future occupants. It requires a thorough home inspection to identify potential problems with the foundation or structure.
Just because the home has passed its code inspection, do not assume that the builder or the contractors have completed all the necessary work. Your home inspector can detect potential problems and alert you to any potentially costly future work.
Choosing a “wrong” home inspector
When choosing a home inspector, you’re actually selecting a professional who is qualified to give your home a top-to-bottom checkup. Therefore, it is vital to go with someone who is knowledgeable, detail-oriented, professional and reliable. First-time buyers often make the mistake of selecting the least expensive home inspection company. Unfortunately, such “low cost” inspectors often lack the resources and experience to thoroughly investigate your future home.
It is important to ask the home inspection company about the licensing, credentials, and experience of the home inspectors who will be inspecting your home. This is not a decision to be taken lightly!
Not being “present” during the inspection
The home inspection report will provide you with detailed information about your home, it can never replace the experience of being a part of the inspection process. The face-to-face interaction inter-action with the home inspector is extremely beneficial since it allows you to ask questions about every aspect of your home as you walk through it.
Ignoring the inspector’s recommendations
Many buyers do not follow-up on the home inspector’s recommendation(s) regarding the property. People may fall in love with the home, and avoid confronting the seller about their concerns. Doing so may result in a very expensive repair, and a bad case of buyer’s remorse. It never fails to amaze me when a seller leaves out an old inspection report how many of the deficiencies are the same and never have been repaired.
It is important to pay attention to the home inspector’s recommendations and solicit a professional estimate of necessary repairs.
Expecting “too much” from the home inspector
Even a professional and experienced home inspector cannot predict the condition of your home in the long-term. The inspector can point out the current problems and potentially identify certain future issues that may eventually arise. Regardless, certain problems are unidentifiable. For example, it is impossible to predict future weather that could impact the quality of the roof.
It is important to remember that a home inspector is hired by to comprehensively review the property in question. The inspector provides you with the report based on the current condition of the home à clairvoyance is not part of the job description!