All about home inspections
Why You Need a Home Inspection
In tight real estate markets, buyers sometimes choose to forgo a home inspection, to make their offer more attractive to sellers. However, we rarely recommend this approach.
Instead, all of us at 4 Buyers think you should have an inspection so you can:
Find serious problems that could cost you.
Learn ways to maintain the house, so you can stop problems before they develop into big problems.
The purpose of the home inspection is to give you a better idea of what the care and maintenance of the home will look like in the foreseeable future. You’ll be told about things that are wrong with the house, things that aren’t wrong (but not wearing well), things that are working fine (but were done poorly), as well as what was built well and works great.
Just keep in mind that no house goes through home inspection without a list of things to do to make it better!
Preparation
We recommend that you interview 2-3 home inspectors when you start house hunting. Ask about their services, the cost and availability, as well as what will be in their report and the typical turnaround time.
You’ll want to have an inspector in mind when you make an offer, because the clock will start ticking–you’ll need to complete the inspection, digest the findings and get back to the Seller by 5-10 days after Offer. Your option to renegotiate or terminate the agreement based on inspection issues and get your $1,000 back ends on this date.
Tests to consider:
Note that these generally have an additional fee.
Radon: an odorless gas, which is found in rock beneath a home and can cause health issues.
Wood boring pests: termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, and many others can cause damage to the wood of your home.
Lead: present in the paint of about 80% of all homes in Massachusetts, and also found in soil and water. It can be very dangerous to the development of young children. This is a separate inspection, so ask your inspector if they recommend it.
Some people choose to start tests before the inspection, so the results come in sooner. This could be a waste of money, but it may also bring peace of mind. We can discuss this option.
Before the inspection
Create a list of questions for your inspector based on what you know or suspect is wrong with the home. Also, if you know you’ll want to make any substantial changes once you own, ask the inspector about whether they think this can be done and anything to take into consideration.
At the inspection
Plan to be at the house for 2-4 hours for the inspection. Keep in mind that it can be overwhelming. Ask again about the content of the inspection report so you can take notes on the things the inspector isn’t going to include. You’ll get their written report either on the spot or later on by email.
After the inspection
As soon as you’re finished with the inspection, the seller will start to get anxious about the results. We’ve found that the best negotiations happen when we get back to the seller with our asks within a day.
If you need more information before we speak to the seller—maybe have a contractor look at an old roof or a plumber evaluate a heating system—you need to hurry and get it. Then, once you have enough facts, we'll discuss strategies for getting a price reduction if the expenses are more than you reasonably expected.