The importance of hiring an Inspector to inspect the property you are buying!
You may have been searching for weeks to find the perfect home with your pre-approval letter in hand and have finally walked into a house that says “Home Sweet Home.” Now, as with anyone that has the dream of owning a home that fits the need of his or her family, you believe that with your pre-approval letter you will be able to move into this house quickly and have nothing else to worry about. Whoa! Hold on a minute. This is just the beginning of home ownership. Now, you will have to make an offer on the property, the seller will have to agree to your offer and then all that paper work begins. In most cases, if you are using a lender they will also have stipulations before you can receive that magic key to the front door. One very important part of the home buying process is getting the home inspected, even if it is a brand new home. With most lending companies, this is mandatory in order to fulfill the loan agreement. On the other hand, if it is not mandatory you should still act like it is because this inspection may save you headaches down the road along with your nest egg.
Now, you may be wondering why you should hire an inspector to inspect the property that you know you want. The answer is very simple.
A qualified home inspector will check the entire home to ensure there are no defect that might later on causing you hundreds possibly thousands of dollars to repair. If you are in the middle of searching for a home in the winter, you may not think about seeing if the air conditioner is working properly or if the swimming pool is need of any of repairs and the same goes for summer months and the appliances that you might use in warmer weather.
A professional home inspector will inspect every function of the home to ensure that all are in normal working order. These items include:
Structural Systems
Foundation Opinion
Electrical System & Components
Grading and Drainage
Roof covering
Roof Structure and Attic
Walls
Ceilings and Floors
Doors
Windows
Fireplace/Chimney
Porches/Decks/Carports
Electric
Service Entrance and Panels
Branch Circuits
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems
Heating Equipment
Cooling Equipment
Ducts and Vents
Plumbing System
Water Supply System and Fixtures
Drains, Wastes, Vents
Water Heating Equipment
Hydrotherapy Equipment
Appliances
Dishwasher
Food Waste Disposal
Range Hood
Ranges/Ovens/Cooktops
Microwave Cooking Equipment
Trash Compactor
Bath Exhaust Fans and/or Heaters
Whole House Vacuum Systems
Garage Door Openers
Door Bells and Chimes
Dryer Vents
Things most home inspectors do not inspect unless you specifically ask for these to be inspected include:
Lawn Sprinklers
Swimming Pools and Equipment
Outbuildings
Outdoor Cooking Equipment
Gas Lines
Water Wells
Septic Systems
Security Systems
Fire Protection Equipment
Examples of additional inspections you may choose to perform on your anticipated purchase.
Wood Destroying Insect Inspection
Well and Septic Inspection
Mold Inspection/testing
Lead Paint Inspection
Water testing
Asbestos Inspection
Lead Paint
After you sign a contract the home is yours, any work that needs done after that time will more than likely be yours to repair unless you have agreed to a home warranty.