It’s not hard to get carried away by excitement when you finally find the home you’ve been dreaming of or to want to rush things along. However, no matter the situation, you should ALWAYS get a home inspection. Whether the home is a new build or a 100-year-old historic home or somewhere in between, it’s important to never waive your home inspection. Here are the key reasons you should always have a home inspection:
1. Know what you are buying – Your home inspector provides so much detailed information about your home, this one is a no-brainer. Having the home inspection gives you a clear and impartial assessment of the home before you buy it so you know exactly what you are buying – good, bad, problems and perks. Your home is your biggest investment so make sure you protect yourself by having an inspection done before you close the deal.
2. Saves you money – While $300-$500 for a home inspection sounds like a lot, if you don’t have a home inspection and the home has problems, typically fixing those problems will be a whole lot more expensive. When you know about a problem before the sale is completed, you can negotiate with the seller to have the issue fixed or have concessions written into your contract. If there is a major problem with the structure, plumbing or electric, those are a lot more expensive than the home inspection. So, having the home inspection saves you serious money down the road on major problems.
3. See beyond the surface – A home can look great on the surface but have a lot of hidden problems. A fresh coat of paint and some new flooring can put a pretty face over major problems. Your home inspector can look beyond the surface and find the problems that aren’t as readily apparent to the buyer. They have the experience to test and check every system in the home to ensure what you see is what you get.
4. Seller repairs and negotiating power – Your home inspection gives you negotiating power if a problem is found. The seller can’t argue it if it’s in your inspection report as an issue. The seller will have to repair the problem or provide concessions for that issue. Either way, it gives you, as the buyer, the negotiating power to get any problems rectified before the completion of the sale. Even if the home is a new build and the seller is the builder, you will still be able to negotiate getting any issues fixed or resolved before the transaction proceeds.
When you find the home of your dreams, it’s understandable to want to get the paperwork done and over with so you can move in as soon as possible. Keep in mind that your home inspection is a crucial step in the process that should never be waived. There are a number of key reasons to ALWAYS have a home inspection, including saving you money, helping you see beyond the surface, knowing what you’re buying and giving you the power to negotiate for seller repairs for any problem that is found. If you skip your home inspection, your dream house could come with nightmare expenses and repairs that could have been fixed before the sale completed.
