3 Reasons Why Should You Get A Home Inspection

If you have a few concerns with your home, you may wonder why you should get a home inspection. Many people feel they can save money by skipping the home inspection and can detect every issue in a home themselves. However, that rarely ends well. The reality is that approximately 60% of home inspections find significant defects.

Do you want to risk it? After the purchase is made, repairs pile up. A pipe might burst, the roof might leak, or termites might be crawling in the house, and the hot water heater stops working. Now, you have no choice but to fix everything. You could have avoided it all if a home inspector had checked the house before you closed the deal.

So, when you ask yourself, “Do I really know what I’m buying?” Unless you get an inspection, the answer is, “No, absolutely not.” To help you make the right decisions, our experts at Divinity Inspection Service in Tampa Bay, Florida, will explain the ins and outs of inspections and the 3 top reasons why you should get them.

What is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection is a detailed assessment of a residence. An inspector walks through the house and around the outside of the building looking for specific clues that indicate structural and system issues great and small. They heavily document their findings through photographs and written notes and present them to you as a home inspection report.

#1 What You See Isn’t Always What You Get

When buying a home, damage may be hidden in plain sight. Even a newly constructed home should have an inspection performed to protect you from buyer’s remorse. Even when a property appears perfect on the surface, there still may be problems concealed beneath the surface.

Think of it this way: A doctor knows the human body like a home inspector knows a house. However, when a concern arises outside their scope of practice, they will refer you to a specialist. The same goes for home inspections. 

When you pay for a home inspection on a property, you are receiving a diagnosis of the health of that home. After the inspection, you will receive a meticulous report of their findings. 

Once you receive that professional opinion, it is your responsibility to follow through with the recommended course of action. While the inspector will provide general recommendations, detailed examinations may call for outside experts who can resolve your concerns. 

So, when you’re interested in buying a home, an inspection is critical for finding out what you’re getting yourself into. If the house has more damage than you initially expected, but the exterior looks great, the inspection will inform you of all the issues observed. Then, you can decide whether to pass on the sale or pay for the repairs. Overall, this is the best way to avoid buyers’ regret. 

#2 Avoid the Necessity for Major Repairs

One of the primary objectives of a home inspection is to pinpoint and evaluate the components of a residential property that will cost big bucks to repair. The last thing you want to do after buying an expensive home is to pay for costly renovation projects.

Let’s take an old roof, for example. If a roof is 12 years old and has three layers of shingles on it, you’ll need to have the entire roof removed and a new one installed. That’s a $20,000 investment on top of your mortgage! 

You will save yourself from worry, stress, and financial strain by spending $300 to $600 on a home inspection. It gives you the opportunity to negotiate repairs with the seller or walk away from the purchase altogether, which brings us to our third reason to get a home inspection…

#3 Negotiation

Once you have a home inspection report, you have proof of the home’s condition. Evidence of extensive repairs gives you leverage to negotiate.

Here are a few options you have making negotiations:

1. Request that the seller repair themselves without changing the asking price. Some sellers are happy to address these issues for you. 
2. Ask the seller to include “credit” for the repair on their closing price. That means reducing the price of the home by the estimated repair cost.
3. See if the seller will make the repair themselves and then add the renovation project’s price to the home’s price. This allows you to pay it off with your mortgage.  

The only exception to this rule applies when purchasing property in “hot areas.” If a home goes up for sale in an area that is highly sought after, your chances of negotiation are slim to none. You can either walk away or close the deal because if you don’t, someone else will. 

Limitations of Home Inspections

When scheduling a home inspection, it’s important to know what they exclude. As our Divinity experts have mentioned, what you see isn’t always what you get. So, when damage is hidden in plain sight, you can take the proper measures to solve it. 

According to the International Association Of Certified Home Inspectors, the following are limitations and exclusions of home inspections:

• An Inspection Is NOT Technically Exhaustive

In other words, systems or components will not be disassembled. Inspections are meant to take a broad look at the entire home. 

• Inspections Do NOT Identify Concealed Or Latent Defects

Inspectors do not look for concealed defects. They perform widespread visual examinations. 

For instance, an inspector will not partially disassemble a furnace to further check the heat exchanger’s condition. They typically disclaim heat exchangers. Or if water has accumulated under your roof, these repairs of that nature would require a closer examination by a roofing professional. Any concerns that exceed the scope of an inspection must be addressed with the proper professional. 

• There Is No Consideration Of Home Aesthetic Or Cosmetic Defects

This means the assessment will not consider issues like chipping paint or missing shingles. 

• They Are NOT Required To Consider The Cause Or Reason For Any Condition

Once the inspector provides you with a written report, they are not required to determine why the repairs must be made. Instead, it is your job as the homeowner or buyer to follow through with the next steps. 

For example, if your property needs foundation or structural repairs, you are responsible for resolving the issues they bring to your attention.

Home Inspection Services Near Me

Now that you understand why you should get a home inspection, you can make the appropriate decisions regarding your home.

If you are looking for an inspection service in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, look no further than Divinity Inspection Services. We will provide a thorough report to help you decide if that home is right for you. Rest assured that you will be in excellent hands with a Divinity Inspector. We have 29 certifications, and we uphold the InterNACHI Standards of Practice.

Get in touch with us today and schedule your home inspection!

Originally Published: Jun 21, 2021