Appraisal

We cannot emphasize enough the value and necessity of an extensive home inspection. Many home purchasers, either in the desire to save the $200 to $500 that a good inspection costs, or due to simple ignorance, have spent enormous sums of money repairing items that any good home inspector would have pointed out.

Any offer to purchase you make should be contingent upon (subject to) a whole house inspection with a satisfactory report. Do not let anyone--not the Agent, not your family or friends, and especially not the seller--dissuade you from having the property thoroughly inspected! Not only will you sleep much sounder after you have moved into the house, a professional inspection can give you an escape hatch from a contract on a defective house. If the contract is written contingent on an acceptable inspection, any defects in the home must be either repaired or monetarily compensated for. If you are not satisfied, you have the option to cancel the contract.

Probably a good plan of action when you have found a home that you would like to buy is to schedule an additional viewing with the specific purpose of doing a personal inspection. If it is obvious that there are defects in the house that you either do not wish to deal with, or cannot afford to deal with, it is a good idea to renew your search for a home. If the house passes your personal inspection, then you can move to the offer and negotiation stage, and finally to a professional inspection.

Personal inspection

What to look for during your Personal Home Inspection

• Foundation: Cracks? Apparent shifts in the foundation?
• Roof: Does it appear new, old, or of an indeterminate age? Condition?
• Evidence of leaks: Inside as well as outside. Check all ceilings and areas around windows.
• Basement or crawlspace: Is there dampness? Is there adequate insulation?
• Attic: How does the interior of the roof structure look?
• Quality and workmanship: In general and in any additions
• Apparent energy efficiency: Does the house appear tightly sealed?
• Electrical: Any obvious malfunctions?
• Plumbing: Any unusual noises or malfunctions?
• Appliance condition: What is the age and condition of the stove, dishwasher, refrigerator (if included), etc.?
• Heating/cooling system: Does it seem to do the job heating or cooling?
• Exterior: Is the house going to need repairs or paint soon?
• Lot: Does the drainage appear good--and away from the house?
• Lot: Are there any trees encroaching on the roof or foundation?

 

Professional Inspection

What to look for in a Professional Home Inspector

• What is the inspector's experience? How many years have they been in the business and how many inspections do they do a year?
• Exclusively inspections? Beware of contractors who do house inspections "on the side"--they may be looking for work!
• What type of report? Will it be written or oral or both? Will the report contain suggestions for remedying deficiencies?
• How long will it take? A good house inspection should take between 2 and 4 hours, depending on the size of the house.
• What will be included in the inspection? Refer to the personal inspection above.
• What certifications do they have?
• Does the inspector have Errors and Omissions Insurance? This gives you some level of protection should there be an "error or omission" in the inspection--meaning the inspector missed something.