Dos and Don’ts of Home Inspections for Home Buyers

When you schedule a home inspection for your house, you often wonder and think over every small step that you’re taking.

And that’s understandable…

A home inspection for buyers isn’t just your opportunity to ensure that the house you’re buying meets your expectations and is a perfect fit. But it’s more of an X-ray of your potential house’s condition.

Once you know what to look for during the home inspection process, it will help you understand the existing defects. And, if you have enough leverage, evaluate the repairs that you “need” the seller to make before you move into your new home.

In this blog, we intend to clear up your confusion. We will discuss all that you need to do and all that you don’t need to do during the process.

So, without any further ado, let’s start…

Do vet more than one home inspector

If you want the best and most thorough home inspection services, then you need to choose your home inspector with care.

Most likely, your real estate agent might recommend an inspector. Your seller might also show you an inspection report from their pre-listing home inspection.

Whatever the case is, know that you need to hire an independent home inspector. This will help you avoid any sort of conflict and have an unbiased evaluation of your property.

And once your offer is accepted, things will start to escalate quickly. So, you may even need to search for inspectors while house hunting.

Hiring a licensed inspector will be better. However, not all states require licensed home inspectors to perform an inspection. Therefore, it’s better to research first. You can also use certain professional organizations as a shortcut to find qualified home inspectors.

Tip: When hiring a certified/licensed professional, ensure they’re certified by ASHI or InterNACHI. This makes them more suitable for the job, considering they’ll have the required training and expertise.

Do get a home inspection for new construction

Most of the homebuyers go like, “We’re buying a new construction house, so we don’t need home inspections for buyers, right?” No!

Home inspection is a must for every homebuyer…whether you’re buying a new property or an old one.

We credit this as a favor homebuyers do to themselves. So, it’s better to add a home inspection to your to-do list than to regret it later.

The home inspector you’ll hire to conduct a home inspection will do their job differently than a county or municipal inspector. The latter will determine whether the new construction property complies with building codes. The former is like a new pair of eyes that will double-check everything a municipal inspector might’ve left out.

Do be there for the home inspection

When scheduling home inspections for buyers, then as a buyer, it’s recommended that you be present during the home inspection.

You can ask questions and clear your queries once you’re behind the inspector, following them from one room to another. This will help you gather the information and understand the inspection report easily. Almost every home buyer finds it hard to understand the inspection report (especially if they’re a first-time homebuyer).

Simply said, it’ll be a great way to learn about your potential new home.

Remember: Your home inspector doesn’t have a crystal ball. So, whatever question comes to your head, you can ask them. But, if your questions are outside of the scope of the contract, then they might not be willing to answer.

Don’t get in the home inspector’s way

Yes, we did ask you to tag along with the inspector and ask questions. But, it doesn’t mean you come in between their way and don’t let them perform their job peacefully.

You’re supposed to follow them, not head to other areas of the house, hurdling their process. For example, if they’re checking the kitchen plumbing and you end up running the bathroom sink, it’ll impact the inspection results.

So, just follow them, ask them questions, and don’t make their job more difficult because, eventually, it will affect the results. And you might end up buying what you shouldn’t.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate with the seller

Don’t expect your seller to be a mankind angel that they’ll take care of everything mentioned in the inspection report.

A dozen minor and major issues could be highlighted in your inspection report. And, of course, they won’t address every single one. But that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to buy the house with those issues. You may negotiate the cost of those repairs that might not be included in the seller’s disclosure.

We recommend that you don’t hand over a too lengthy list. Instead, skip anything that you credit as a minor issue. Plus, if you already have plans to renovate your house after buying, then there’s no point in discussing those issues.

In case of larger issues, you shall ask the sellers to make the required repairs before you move in. You might also want to conduct another home inspection before closing. Or you can ask the sellers for proof that the professionals did make the repairs.

If your demands are not met, you can request a credit from the seller or ask them to reduce the sale price.

Don’t assume the home inspector can be held liable

The primary concern of every home inspector is safety, but it wouldn’t be fair to expect them to give you complete assurance. There might still be undiscovered problems within your potential house.

You’ll know about the inspector’s responsibilities in your contract, which will limit their legal liability.

Conclusion

In conclusion, home inspection for buyers is a great step that you’ll undertake before buying your dream home.

You might have had a confusion about what to do and what not to do during inspections. But with our small yet helpful list above, we tried to clear it all out.

Remember, these inspections are not your assurance card; there can still be issues deep within. Plus, once you escort your inspector, you’re meant to grasp the inspection findings better. Not hinder the inspector’s work.

If you want to schedule home inspections for buyers, you can always schedule them with Total House Inspections. With our expert inspectors on board, we give our best, unbiased services to our clients. Contact us today, and have a safer tomorrow!