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What to Expect from a Home Inspection
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What to Expect from a Home Inspection |
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Screening
For Problems: All homes
have strong and weak points, they are not always what they seem. Gain the
perspective and sound information you need to make better decisions with a
home inspection. A good home inspector works through a very long checklist of
potential concerns to identify the major and minor deficiencies in the home.
A good report will clearly describe the problems and illustrate them along
with the what-to and how-to of repairs.
Provide
Buyers Benefits: The
professional home inspection is the best way for potential home buyers to
effectively evaluate the risks of a property purchase. A major concern of
home buyers is being suddenly confronted with major (and costly) problems
after they take possession of a property. A pre-purchase home inspection can
reduce anxiety by screening for problems and itemizing them in a comprehensive
report. This report may include approximations of repair costs and
recommendations of useful upgrades to the property systems. The general
result of a professional home inspection is that property buyers make
significantly more informed purchases.
Provide
Sellers Benefits: Home
sellers who are planning to make improvements to their homes in order to
increase its market value would be well advised to have it inspected first. A
home inspector can help prioritize home improvements and offer advice on the
best ways to approach repairs. More importantly, an inspector can help the
seller identify potential or undiscovered problems before those
problems become material for contract contingencies. By taking a pro-active
approach one can avoid the frustrations many sellers encounter when they are
asked to re-negotiate their contracts because of unanticipated problem areas.
Credentials: Many
people without specific home inspection credentials offer services. Likewise,
credentials are not always what they seem. Engineering and architectural
credentials alone do not prepare anyone to competently inspect homes and
communicate the findings. A helping attitude, good communication skills, and
mature judgment must supplement technical competence. Make sure you work with
a company employing a contract which specifies both what is offered and what
limitations apply. Some "warranties" offer little coverage. Read
them carefully.
What
To Expect: Home inspections are not warranties or insurance policies. They can shed light on risk, but cannot eliminate it. For this reason, most home inspection companies will not perform work unless the client signs an agreement detailing the scope of the work and the limitations. There are quite a few limitations with regard to professional inspections. Typical contract clauses may include limitation to readily visible and accessible items; participation in the inspection at your own risk; liability limited to the fee charged; and optional supplementary inspection work at additional fees. |
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Take the ASHI Virtual Home Inspection Tour…click the picture below
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