What To Look For In Your Home Inspection Report
For most buyers, the very last step before being able to close the deal on their dream home is working with an inspector to ensure that it's ready to be moved into. But, most every thorough home inspection is going to reveal some minor issues that you may be concerned about. Some other reports will reveal some very major repairs that you weren't planning for. So, what should you be thinking about?
When your home inspector has completed their walkthrough of the property, they are going to conclude by providing you with a report that should be very thorough and explanatory. Most home inspectors will sit down with you and look this report over so that you can have any questions that may come up answered right away. A general home inspector will usually be able to give you a cost estimate for fixing the problems they have found.
However, if a problem falls outside of the home inspector's expertise, they are going to suggest that you go to a specialist to have the issue looked into further. A general inspector's job is to give you an overview of the home's general condition, so they can't pinpoint all the little (or big) issues that may be specialized to the plumbing system, for example, or hidden inside the well/septic tank. If they see signs of a potential problem with one of these systems, they will let you know about it and give you the information you need to follow-up on it further.
With that in mind, it's possible that your home inspection report won't come back with any big problems that require further investigation. But, when you get the report back, you should still review it in full. Take a while to go over it with the home inspector so that they can explain the findings and why they concluded what they did. If they give the home the go-ahead, it's still worthwhile to think about the small issues the inspector may have uncovered and the signs of potential problems they may have spotted.
Remember, if you make your offer contingent on inspection, you can renegotiate your offer with the seller after the home inspection has been completed. You can also back out of the deal entirely if the inspection has raised very serious or expensive red flags. With all of that considered, you should be more confident going through with the purchase of a home after having a thorough inspection completed.
If you need to find a reliable home inspector, the first place to check is your real estate agent. Ask them for recommendations and then follow-up with your own research into the person they recommend. If you make sure that your inspector is experienced, you can have peace of mind with the report you are given.
The Author Adam Clark is the owner and operator of Shield Guard Home Inspections. Adam Clark is a local Home Inspector located in Albany NY that has performed over 6000 Inspections. Book online Phone: (518) 720-7152
