4 Things You Should Know About Home Inspections

Getting a home inspection is one of the most important steps in purchasing a home. Today I’d like to go over some of the most important things you should know about the home inspection process so that you’ll know what to expect.

You get to choose your home inspector. Typically, an experienced Realtor will have a list of three to five home inspectors that they’ve worked with in the past. This list is a great place to start, but you’re also more than welcome to search the internet and find somebody on your own. Ultimately, you’ll want to choose somebody that you’re really comfortable with. All inspectors must go through a licensing process, so you’ve got a lot of options to choose from.

A home inspector’s job is to point out structural and mechanical issues in the home you’re considering buying; they will not point out cosmetic problems. Things like heating and air, plumbing, and the foundation will be on the top of the inspector’s list, but they will not point out issues with things like paint or carpeting.

Inspectors will not report cosmetic issues.

The inspector works for the party that is paying for the inspection. This means that you won’t want to use an older home inspection that the seller may have had or an inspection from another buyer that had considered buying the home. You want to find an inspector that you’re comfortable with and have them work just for you.

Inspectors are not responsible for the condition of the home that you’re considering buying. They cannot go inside walls or look underneath carpeting; they can only inspect what they can touch.

A home inspection may not cover 100% of the home you’re considering buying, but the inspector will look at hundreds of items before you purchase the home and give you a pretty good sense of whether the home is in good shape.

If you have any questions about home inspections or about real estate in general, please give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!