Why Are Home Inspections so Important?

Today, I’ll to answer three of the most common questions that
I get about one of the most important steps in any real estate
transaction: the home inspection.





Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value
report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Home inspections are an incredibly important part of the real
estate transaction. I get a lot of questions about inspections from
homebuyers, so today I’ll cover the first three. 

The most common question I get is, “Who pays for the home
inspection?” As the homebuyer, the inspection is part of your
due diligence, so that is going to be your cost. However, the home
inspection pays for itself time and time again because it helps you
know if anything is wrong with the house that you’re
purchasing. 

A general home inspection runs anywhere from $300 to $500,
depending on the age and square footage of the home. 

What kind of inspections should you do when you buy the
home? There are a variety of inspections that you can have done
on the home. It’s a good idea to start with the general inspection.
If that inspector sees anything that he feels needs a specialist’s
attention, he will suggest another inspection. 

For example, if the general inspector finds a water leak in the
bathroom, he may recommend that you hire a mold specialist to do a
mold inspection. If there is a serious issue with the roof, he may
recommend that you hire a roofer for a more in-depth roof
inspection. 

I do recommend that you do a sewer line scope, especially in
neighborhoods with older, mature trees. You can also order a radon
test to see what the radon levels are, or a termite inspection if
you are concerned about that. Typically, though, we don’t see many
termites in Colorado. 

One of the most important inspections you can do is the
neighborhood inspection. Walk through the neighborhood at 10
p.m. or early Saturday morning. Talk to a few of the neighbors too
see what the area is like. After all, you are only in the house one
or two times after you make the offer and before you close, so you
really want to get a feel for the area. If your neighbor’s dog
barks incessantly, you wouldn’t know that without inspecting the
neighborhood. 

All of these inspections are a great way to protect your earnest
money because you always have the right to terminate the
contract. 

“

Home inspections help protect your earnest money.

”
Finally, what is an inspector looking for? The
inspector will note health and safety concerns, maintenance items
to keep an eye on, and a couple honey-do items that you may want to
correct upon moving in. 

When you first look at the house and fall in love with it, you
might be swept away by the beautiful kitchen with granite
countertops and new appliances. However, we don’t know what’s going
on behind the walls. The inspector will examine the electrical
system, water pressure, and the age of the furnace and the hot
water heater. 

Hopefully, these answers have helped you understand a little more
about home inspections. I will answer a few more home inspection
questions next time. Meanwhile, if you would like to learn more
about home inspections or real estate in general, just give me a
call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!