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Buyers and a Bad Home Inspection

December 22nd, 2007
As a home buyer, a bad inspection could rain on your parade. Buying a home is a lot of fun, but finding out that your dream property is full of problems can really damper your mood in a hurry. Buyers have to deal with the fact that a home inspection could turn out bad in a number of different ways. Does this always happen? Absolutely not. But in most cases, an inspection will at least show a few problems; even if they are nothing major.
 
What is a buyer to do if they encounter a bad home inspection? Generally speaking, there are two options available. Before you do anything, you need to consider what is wrong with the home. If there are only minor issues you will want to consider the best course of action. Remember, even homes that are well kept will show some issues during an inspection; this is just the way that the system works.
 
If you are totally unsatisfied with the result of the home inspection, you may want to consider walking away from the deal if your contract allows you to do so. To decide on this, you need to determine if you are willing to deal with the problems that have been found. Are they something that can be fixed? Or are the issues permanent? No matter what, you should never ignore the findings of your inspection; this will only get you in trouble in the long run.
 
Instead of giving up on the purchase of the home, you may instead want to negotiate with the seller. Ask them if they are willing to fix some of the problems before you move in. If not, they may be willing to drop their selling price a bit so that you can make the repairs yourself. You should definitely attempt to renegotiate if your home inspection shows that there are some repairs that need to be made.
 
Overall, buyers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to a bad home inspection. They can either walk away from the transaction, or negotiate for repairs or a lower price. This really gives them the upper hand when it comes to the final steps of the buying process. Of course, this does not mean that the buyer should exploit this power and take things too far.

How a Home Inspection affects a Sale

December 21st, 2007
Many buyers do not look into paying for a home inspection because they are afraid of what they will find. In other words, they want the home so bad that they would rather deal with issues later on than know about them up front. While this is not a good idea, it is something that is commonly done. There are several ways that a home inspection can affect the sale of a property. No matter if you are a buyer or seller, you should be aware of these details.
 
First and foremost, a bad home inspection can totally kill a deal. If the buyer has it in their contract, they can opt out of buying a home if the home inspection does not suit their needs. And in many cases, this has happened. For instance, a major issue such as a cracked foundation may be found. If the buyer is not willing to deal with this, they can walk away from the transaction and leave the seller to start over at the beginning. And to make things worse on the seller, they now have to disclose any problems that were found during the home inspection.
 
If the buyer does not want to walk away, he or she may attempt to negotiate with the seller. For instance, if they do not want to fix a problem themselves, they can ask the seller to do so before they move in. If this does not work out, the buying price can be changed to reflect any of the repairs that were a result of findings during the home inspection. Buyers should definitely negotiate with sellers in this area. And of course, sellers should be open to this because they are so close to actually making a sale.
 
Overall, a home inspection can affect the sale of a home in a number of different ways. The dream scenario would be if the inspection showed nothing bad, and the transaction could smoothly move forward. But unfortunately, it usually doesn’t work out like that. No matter if you are buying or selling, expect the home inspection to change things just a bit. If it doesn’t, consider yourself lucky.

Hiring a Home Inspection Company

December 20th, 2007
When hiring a home inspection company there are several steps that you need to take. After all, this is a very important step in the buying process. If you are not working with the right company you may not get the results that you are expecting. And when buying a home, you cannot leave anything to chance.
 
Here are three important steps to take when hiring a home inspection company.
 
1. Make sure that you speak with several companies before settling on the one that will complete your inspection. No matter where you live, you should be able to find at least two home inspection companies that are in your area. After speaking with them you will have a much better feel for the company that knows the most, offers the best price, and is willing to help in anyway possible.
 
2. Talk about price before you finalize the details of the inspection. Remember, you want to make sure that you are totally aware of every last dollar you are going to be charged. Being surprised with an extra fee at the time of payment is never fun. A good company will give you an exact figure so that you can have everything ready in advance.
 
3. If possible, obtain references or testimonials from those who have used the company in the past. This will allow you to rest comfortably knowing that your home inspection company is in the hands of a reputable company. Once again, you cannot afford any mistakes when it comes to your inspection. Missing out on one detail could cost you a lot of money sometime in the future.
 
These three steps should help you when it comes time to hire a home inspection company. Of course, you may want to add some of your own steps in between as well. As long as you take your time and speak with several companies, you will have a very good idea of what you want and need. From there, it should be smooth sailing as long as no major problems are discovered during the inspection.

Common Home Inspection Problems

December 19th, 2007
The reason to have a home inspected before buying is to turn up any possible issues. Even though it is not fun to come across problems in a home that you really want, it is something that is quite common. In fact, it is very rare that a home inspection is not going to turn up any problems. The only chance of this happening is if you are buying a home that is new construction.
 
So what are some of the more common home inspection problems that you should be aware of? Here are three to keep in mind.
 
1. In many cases, the roof is a big problem that hinders the sale of a home. After all, this is not something that is usually checked when a buyer is searching for a property. So the first time that the roof is actually looked over is at the home inspection. Roofing related issues are common. They can include anything from shingles that are too old, to a leak that is causing issues in an upstairs room or attic. As a buyer you will never have the chance to check out the roof on your own. For this reason, having a home inspector do so is very important. You do not want to miss a problem in this area.
 
2. Minor plumbing problems are also common. These can include everything from leaking pipes to faucets that do not work for one reason or the next. In most cases, getting these problems fixed is not difficult. But even then, you want to make sure that you are well aware of the issues before you make a final decision on the home.
 
3. One of the most serious problems that can be turned up during a home inspection is a cracked foundation. If a home has this problem, it could definitely kill the deal. While there are ways that this can be fixed, none of them are cost effective. In other words, a cracked foundation is going to cost somebody a lot of money. And in most cases, you will want to ask the seller to fix the problem. Chances are that they will agree because they know that it will hinder any potential future sale as well.
 
These are only three of the common home inspection problems that you may come across. Your best bet is to let your inspector do his or her job, and then take things from there.

Who pays for a Home Inspection?

December 18th, 2007
The question of who pays for a home inspection is a common one. While there is no standard answer, there is one that is more common than the rest. Simply put, the buyer will pay for the inspection in most cases. But of course, this does not always hold true. There are some cases in which a seller will have their home pre-inspected so that they have a better chance of making a sale. In fact, this process is becoming commonplace as more and more real estate agents are suggesting it.
 
If you are a buyer, you will not pay for a home inspection until you have agreed on price with the seller. By the time the inspection comes around, this is pretty much the only thing that is standing between you and buying the home. The only thing that could stop the process would be if the inspection turned up a major problem that you are not willing to deal with. Believe it or not, this happens all the time. You need to make sure that you are reasonable about any issues that are found, but that you also only buy the home if you are 100 percent comfortable doing so.
 
The buyer is responsible for directly paying the home inspection company. In other words, they will write the check out to the inspection company and go from there. The seller is not involved in any way, shape, or form. The only thing that they will be asked to do is make sure that the house is accessible during the time of the inspection. Obviously, it is important for the inspector to be able to gain access to the home.
 
Before you hire a home inspector, make sure that you are comfortable with their price and payment options. Most companies will accept both credit card and check, but this is something that you should ask about upfront. After all, you do not want any surprises when it comes time to pay. Additionally, make sure that you are aware of exactly how much the inspection will cost. This way you will not be hit with any excess charges after the job is already done.
 
Overall, in most cases, the home buyer pays for the inspection. But if the seller has already done this, there is no reason to duplicate the process.

Cost of a Home Inspection

December 17th, 2007
Are you against a home inspection because you do not want to spend the money? Do you feel that the money could go towards more important things, such as fixing up your new home? If this sounds like you, you are not alone. There are many homebuyers who would rather skip the home inspection process because of the money that they can save. But guess what? This is a bad idea for many different reasons. When it comes down to it, the cost of a home inspection is not going to set you back that much. If you are careful about what you are doing, you should be able to control the costs to a certain extent.
So how much will an inspection cost? First off, you should know that this will depend on several factors. First off, the area in which you live will determine the cost of your inspection. Just like most things, home inspections on the west coast will cost more than the east coast.
 
To go along with location, the type of home that is being inspected will also determine the price. As you can imagine, having a small condo inspected is not going to run you nearly as much money as a large single family home. This is something that you will go over with the home inspection company before you hire them.
 
Speaking of inspection companies, not all of them charge the same rates. But with that being said, most of them are in the same ballpark as far as cost is concerned. If you are interested in saving money at all costs, you may want to call several companies in your area to make sure that you are getting the lowest possible rate.
 
In most cases, you should be able to get your home inspected for anywhere from $300 to $500 depending on the factors above. If you are going to have additional test completed, such as those for radon and wood infestation, the cost will go up by another couple hundred dollars.
 
A home inspection is well worth the money. Think about it this way. If the inspection turns up one problem that will cost several hundred dollars to repair, it will more than pay for itself. This will give you the chance to express your concern to the seller, and hopefully have them fix the issue before you move in. This will save you from having to pay for the repair yourself. Remember, in many cases, the problems that would have been caught during a home inspection will cost more to fix than the inspection itself.

Home Inspection Extras

December 16th, 2007
When you pay for a home inspection, you are going to get a professional who can take a comprehensive look at your home and then provide you with a detailed report. But guess what? Your home inspector can do more than just that. There are several extras that a home inspection company may offer. If you do not know about these, you may be missing the boat when inspection time rolls around.
 
So what are some of these extras? First off, and quite important, is a radon test. Radon is a harmful substance that can leak into your home from the foundation. This is not necessarily common, but certain areas of the country have been known to have many homes affected by this. Over the long term, it is believed that excess exposure to radon can cause some sorts of cancer. Obviously, this is something that you want to protect against. Luckily, most home inspection companies will also offer a radon test. This is something that you should definitely consider buying if offered. For only another $100 or so, you can get your home tested for this problem.
 
Another common extra is a wood infestation test. Again, this may not be a common problem, but depending on where you live it could be a problem nonetheless. As you probably know, termites and other wood damaging insects can cause a lot of problems. This is especially true if they have taken over the interior walls of a home, or have moved into an attic or other crawl space. For a relatively reasonable fee, you should be able to add this to your basic home inspection. Just like the radon test, this is something that you should consider buying.
 
As you can see, you are going to have to pay extra to have a home tested for radon and wood infestation, but it is well worth it. If these problems are present, you want to make sure that they are taken care of before you move in. This way, you can either fix the problem before you move in full time, or negotiate with the seller to have them taken care of. Either way, paying the extra money at the time of a home inspection for these extra tests is a good idea.
 

Do you need a Home Inspection?

December 15th, 2007
The question of whether or not to pay for a home inspection is common. If you are buying a home, chances are that you are already spending a lot of money. With that in mind, a lot of buyers decide that passing on a home inspection is a great way to save some cash. But with that being said, you need to be careful about what areas you skimp on. Even though it is not necessary to have the home you want to buy inspected, it is really in your best interest.
 
A home inspection will turn up any problems that a property has. This holds true both for items in the inside, as well as the outside of a home. In turn, if anything bad shows up you will have the chance to negotiate with the seller. And in many cases, if you do not like what is found you have the right to simply walk away from the deal. But guess what? If you did not pay to have a home inspection, you will be stuck with the problems that come along with the home. And in most cases, the problems that you have to get fixed will cost much more than any type of inspection that you would pay for.
 
There are some people who simply decide that paying for an inspection is not worth the time or money. But before you add yourself to that category, keep in mind the details of an inspection. Generally speaking, it will only take a couple of hours for a home to be thoroughly checked out by the inspector. Of course, this will change based on the size of the home, etc. And when it comes to cost, a home inspection will not run you much more than $500; and that is on the high side of things. So the question is: is a home inspection worth a couple hours of your time, and $500 or so? Most people agree that the answer is yes. If you are a risk taker or feel that the home is in tip top shape, you may want to forgo an inspection; but most would advise against this.
 
It is up to you to decide if you should spring for a home inspection. There are many benefits to doing this, with the only drawbacks being the money that it will cost.
 
Keyword: home inspection

Windows and a Home Inspection

December 14th, 2007
Windows can be expensive to replace. For this reason, you will want your home inspector to check all of them with great detail. After all, old windows can be a pain in the neck. As you probably know, there are several issues that could cause problems as far as the windows in a home are concerned. The more that you know about these issues the better off you will be when deciding how to proceed.
 
First off, you need to make sure that all of the windows in the home open and close with ease. As they get older, there is a good chance that they will begin to tighten up. And if you have windows that do not open, it can really be a pain when the weather heats up. This is something that your inspector will definitely check as it only takes a few minutes to do so.
 
Additionally, some windows do not close all the way which will in turn let a breeze into the home. Along with a breeze, allergens and insects can also make their way into a home this way. For most homeowners, letting these things into their home is never a good thing. You should be able to visually see if there are any gaps between the windows and the frame that surrounds them. If there is, you will want to find out the reason for this.
 
Finally, do not forget that windows can break. Even though today’s offerings are as sturdy as ever before, they can still crack or break with the proper force. This may not seem like a big deal, but a broker window does you no good while also posing a safety issue. Bumping into a pane that is not solid could result in an entire collapse and a situation where you could fall.
 
When your home is being inspected, make sure that all your windows are looked at closely. You may not be concerned with these, but believe it or not, problems with windows are quite common. You do not want to get stuck paying for all new windows when you move into your home.

Basements and a Home Inspection

December 13th, 2007
Are you buying a home with a basement? If so, it is very important that you pay the extra money for a home inspection. When it comes down to it, basement related issues are very common in many different styles of homes. If you do not have an inspection, there is a good chance that you will miss out on a serious problem that could cost you tons of money in the near future. In fact, basements have the potential to contain some of the most serious problems in a home.
 
You are probably well aware that some basements take in water anytime that it rains. Obviously, this is something that you never want to deal with. If your home inspection shows that this is a problem, you will want to think twice about what you are doing. After all, do you want to deal with a wet basement every time that it rains? If you still want to buy the home, you will need to find out what the problem is and then ask for a solution. If the seller is willing to fix the problem you will be in much better shape than if you have to do so on your own. In most cases, fixing a problem with a wet basement is extensive and costly.
 
Another common basement related problem has to do with mold. This can be caused by water seepage, as well as a number of other issues. Again, mold is a serious problem that not only looks and smells bad, but can also cause some serious health issues. If the basement has mold, your inspector will more than likely be able to pick up on it within a matter of minutes.
 
Finally, a cracked foundation can often times be seen in the walls of a basement. As you probably know, this is one of the worst issues that a home can have. A cracked foundation costs a lot of money to repair, and can keep the resale value of a home very low. This is a problem that you will want to negotiate with the seller.
 
Overall, a home that has a basement has the potential for many additional issues. Make sure that your home inspector does a good job checking this room.