Put our experience and knowledge to work on your next home purchase. Hiring another inspector is a RED FLAG you cannot afford to miss!

As a home buyer, the home inspection is your last chance to uncover defects with the house — and potentially get the seller to pay for them — before sealing the deal. Additionally, if a professional home inspection reveals serious problems with a property, potential buyers can back out of the home purchase or renegotiate the sale price, provided they have a home inspection contingency in their purchase agreement. An inspection contingency is a common provision in a home purchase contract that gives buyers an opportunity to identify any serious issues before closing on a property. As a seller, on the other hand, you want to know what the inspector will look for so you can be prepared for their visit and help everything go as smoothly as possible.

A home inspection checklist can be a valuable tool when you’re selling a property. If you know what an inspector’s going to be looking for, you can sort out minor issues in advance. Of course, nobody’s expecting perfection. It’s very rare to see a blemish-free home inspection report. And it may be you’ve already negotiated over some known issues and they’ve been reflected in the price. However, cherry-picking small problems that are quick, easy, and inexpensive to fix can drastically shorten the list of defects a report turns up. And the shorter that list, the better the chances of your sale closing without quibbles. Certified home inspectors are people, too. And just like everyone else, they associate a clean, sweet-smelling house with homeowners who care for their property. It will do you no harm if the inspection starts off from that perspective. Chances are, you recently prepared your home for showing and it’s already in close-to-perfect condition. But look around for new defects. If a shingle has slipped from the roof or a pane of glass has cracked, get them fixed in advance.

The inspector will let you know whether the grading slopes away from the house as it should. If it doesn't, water could get into the house and cause damage, and you will need to either change the slope of the yard or install a drainage system. The inspector will test the garage door for proper opening and closing, check the garage framing if it is visible, and determine if it is properly ventilated (to prevent accidental carbon monoxide poisoning). If the water heater is in the garage, the inspector will make sure it is installed high enough off the ground to minimize the risk of explosion from gasoline fumes mingling with the heater's flame.

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You’ll have a chance to explore your new home further and ask your inspector questions as you go. Seeing the home inspection process can be much more informative than reading the report on its own. And it can give you some perspective on how major or minor each issue is. It’s in your interest as a home seller to provide quick and easy access to everything on that home inspection checklist. Here are some ways you can help: Make sure all pilot lights are on for fireplaces and furnaces, even in summer, so the inspector can check the heating and other appliances Tidy your basement. There needs to be an unobstructed path down the steps and through to your furnace/HVAC unit/water heater and anything else that needs inspecting Tidy your attic same as your basement Clean up key areas in your yard so the inspector can easily access your crawl space, drainage access points, or septic tank If the home is vacant and the utilities have been shut off, have them reconnected Being helpful won’t necessarily buy you a better report, but even professionals appreciate thoughtfulness.

A buyer’s inspection occurs after you’ve accepted a buyer’s offer but before closing the sale. After a home inspection, the buyer may be able to renegotiate their offer or request repairs if certain issues come up. In some cases, the buyer may walk away from the purchase if the home inspection reveals more issues than they’re willing to deal with. One other important distinction, mortgage lenders do not require a home inspection for buyers to obtain a home loan. The lender typically orders the appraisal, but requesting a home inspection is the buyer’s choice, and it’s highly recommended. Though many buyers choose to include an inspection contingency, the number often depends on the current market. According to the 2021 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, in July 2021, 27% of buyers waived the inspection contingency compared to 19% in December of 2021.

 Put our experience and knowledge to work on your next home purchase. Hiring another inspector is a RED FLAG you cannot afford to miss!

Before you buy a home, one of the things you should do is to have it checked out by a professional home inspector. Yes, we can hear your objection: "Buying a home is expensive enough as it is! Why would I choose to fork over hundreds more if I'm not required to?" In this article, we'll delve into what a home inspection can reveal and whether it's worth hiring an inspector as a homebuyer.

In some cases, the homebuyer may be displeased with the service the home inspector provided. Often in these situations, the homebuyer is left feeling that crucial defects or details were missed during the inspection process or left out of the inspection report. ASHI always suggests that the homebuyer should contact their home inspector and explain the concerns they have with the home inspection report. Sometimes, it may turn out to be a simple misunderstanding, with the inspector providing further explanation clarifying the issue. In many states, home inspectors are licensed and follow the regulations put forth by their state. If the homebuyer is not able to resolve their dissatisfaction with the home inspector directly, they are encouraged to contact their state governing body for information on how to proceed.

Full inspection: A full walk-through is performed of the completed home. Inspectors vary in experience, ability, and thoroughness, but a good inspector should examine certain home components and then produce a report covering their findings. The typical inspection lasts two to three hours, and you should be present for the inspection to get a firsthand explanation of the inspector's findings and, if necessary, ask questions. Also, any problems the inspector uncovers will make more sense if you see them in person instead of relying solely on the snapshot photos in the report.

Wind Mitigation

The inspector will look at your HVAC system to estimate the age of the furnace and air conditioner, determine if they function properly, and recommend repairs or maintenance. An inspector can also give you an idea of the age of the home's ducting, whether it might have leaks, if your home has sufficient insulation to minimize your energy bills and whether there is any asbestos insulation. The home inspector will identify the age of the heater and determine if it is properly installed and secured. The inspector will also let you know what kind of condition it is in and give you a general idea of how many years it has left. The inspector will sometimes check kitchen appliances that come with the home to make sure they work, but these are not always part of the inspection. If you think you'll want to keep them, be sure to ask which ones are omitted so that you can test them yourself. The inspector will make sure the laundry room is properly vented. A poorly maintained dryer-exhaust system can be a serious fire hazard.

For example, if the report noted the HVAC system was 15 years old and used an inefficient blower, you’ll know to start planning ahead for replacing the system in the next few years. If you’d like to buy a home warranty to protect systems in your home, your home inspection could help you decide what level of protection to buy. Some warranties let you choose which systems in your home to protect. Your inspection should show your home’s most vulnerable systems. My inspection report lists dozens of defects! What should I do? Most reports list dozens of defects. Some defect lists run into three figures. That’s because there’s no such thing as a perfect home, especially if the property is a few decades old. Don’t worry too much about the length of the inspector’s list of problems; instead, pay attention to the severity of the problems. Many issues, such as loose doorknobs or cracks in the paved driveway, will be so minor you won’t bother fixing them right away, even though you know they’re there.