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Can I Trust My Home Inspector?

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Why is a home inspection so nerve wracking? Could it be party due to a lack of trust between you and your home inspector? Here’s what you need to know to build a relationship and also identify a home inspector you can feel confident using.

Ask for references and use them

You are more likely to trust a home inspector that has been referred to you by someone you know. Undoubtedly, we like to work with people we know, like, and trust. Even if it’s someone else you know that knows and trusts the home inspector. Having that connection helps. So ask for references.

Do a proper interview

Yes, you read that right. You should “interview” anyone before you hire them. Especially a job as important as inspecting a home you want to purchase. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions. And if you don’t know what to ask, start with “what questions should I be asking you?”. It’s not about pricing when you hire a home inspector. I understand the price is a part of the decision, but that shouldn’t be the only factor.

Be present at the inspection

In fact, we recommend that the buyers, seller, and both agents are present at the home inspection. This is an opportunity to learn about your home and address any immediate questions or concerns. You never know what might be discovered during an inspection. How easy is it to be able to ask the seller about a concern while the inspector is there? Even better! So make sure you attend.

We know these tips might seem basic, but we find many people skip these little steps. We want you to feel confident and comfortable when you hire Divinity Inspection Services. We invite you to call us and ask us anything you want. We will offer our guidance and knowledge, and hope that you feel you can trust us by the end of the phone call.

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Required Repairs After A Home Inspection

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Any home inspection can result in finding various issues, both minor and major. However, some of these issues may fall under the requirement to be repaired by the seller. And others will not. You may find it important to become familiar with both. Here’s what you need to know!

Required repairs after a home inspection

There are two very specific issues that will be required by the homeowner to repair, regardless of the purchase deal or contract. The first is any water penetration issues such as mold or water in the walls. The second is local code safety violations. This includes any home issues that break any required codes, such as using specific materials for your roof, insulation, an unstable deck, etc.

If any of these two repairs are uncovered during the home inspection, the seller will be required to make the repairs before closing the sale of the home. You can depend on your agent to see this through. You should also expect to make sure you see the repair has been done yourself.

Repairs not required but you can negotiate them

Apart from the two repairs listed above, nothing else is required by the homeowner. However, if a major issues is discovered by an inspection, you can petition the homeowner to pay for the repair. This is part of a negotiation. You and your agent can negotiate with the seller to address any major repairs as part of the home sale.

Allow your agent to guide you

You should know that you won’t always get what you request. Your agent should guide you to to handle your expectations in what the seller will agree to and what they won’t. You won’t know exactly what you will get, but it never hurts to ask. You may also benefit to back up your requests with research. This is why a home inspection is so important. It helps when the sellers hear it from an expert.

As your home inspector, we’re on your side. We want to make sure you are as educated about your home as much as possible. And we also recommend you attend your inspection so you can ask as many questions as you like. Make sure you include us in your home inspection by scheduling right here online!

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Should I Back Out After A Really Bad Home Inspection?

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I think it’s safe to say the fear of a home inspection is that it will be a “bad” home inspection. This means major problem with the home will be uncovered. This will result in the buyer wanting to back out of the sale. But, when should you back out of buying a home? Does a bad home inspection automatically mean losing the home of your dreams? Of course not!

Major issues can always be repaired

If a major issue, or many issues, are uncovered during the home inspection; that doesn’t mean the deal is dead. Many, if not all, issues can be repaired. The goal should be to discuss the repairs with the seller and try to come to an agreement. In this case, both parties can benefit. The homeowner will have to address the issues either with you or before another seller makes an offer. They will want to do it with you if they can. And your real estate agent should be able to negotiate on your behalf.

You have a few options in this scenario. You can either decrease your offer on the home to make up for the repairs you will have to make. You can try to negotiate the repair fees into the price of the home. Or lastly, you can require the homeowner to pay for the repairs and have them completed before the sale of the home. Depending on what the problems are will determine which solution is best.

When to back out of a home purchase

Among your many options, backing out of the home purchase is still an option. You are under no obligation to complete the purchase of the home is something makes you feel uncomfortable. Sometimes the problems throughout the home are just too many or too big for the home buyer to want to continue.

If the seller is unwilling to negotiate, then likely you will want to cut the deal. If your real estate agent won’t help you in your negotiation, then you may want to find a new agent. The end goal should be to come to an agreement that both parties feel are fair. In fact, you may want to include a strong clause in the contract. This clause could cover the buyer by requiring the right to a professional home inspection, and if any issues are found the seller would be required to have them fixed or pay a set amount towards the repairs. Otherwise, the deposit should be returned in full. Including a clause such as this one may put your mind at ease.

Keep an open mind and don’t stress

No matter the situation, the expectation should not be that the home inspection will be “bad”. And a “bad” home inspection should not automatically kill a deal. The truth is, there could come a point where you have to make the decision to stick with it or walk away. And your real estate agent should act as a guide to help you make these decisions.

Expect to be fair as much as you want to be treated fairly. And if at any point you feel uncomfortable you should not feel obligated to do anything. The best thing you can do is attend the home inspection. Take the time to be there so you can ask the inspector any questions you have about any findings. A good home inspector will explain their findings, offer options or even recommendations, and give you as much detail as they can about your home. Your home inspector may even educate you on things you didn’t know about your home.

At Divinity Inspection Service we strive to make our home inspections both thorough and comfortable. Our goal is that you feel happy with your home purchase. But we also want you to be educated about your purchase. Schedule your home inspection right here on our website.

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What To Look For Before Your Home Inspection

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Buying a home is a long process, filled with paperwork and multiple people. However, as you search for your first home, there are a few things you can look for before your home inspection. These things, if you find them, might eliminate the chance for surprises.

Look around the home

You will need to go beyond the aesthetics and into the nitty gritty. There are a few tell-tale signs around the home that you might not notice if you weren’t looking for them.

  • Water stained driveways could indicate potential flooding
  • A backed up gutter system (if you’re able to see it) could indicate the reason for flooding or be a sign the homeowner isn’t take proper care of the home
  • Look for proper drainage around the home
  • Look out for foundation cracks, which would be big cracks from the bottom to the top of the home

 

Check out Systems

This may seem like an obvious one, but you might be surprised to learn many people do not look at a home’s system. This includes things like:

  • The water heater
  • The air conditioning
  • Turn on all faucets to look for leaks and check water pressure
  • If fireplaces are present, ask if they work or have ever been used

Ask as many questions as you would like

Don’t be afraid to ask any questions about the home. Either the homeowner or the real estate agent should be able to answer them or find an answer for you. The more questions you ask, the more likely you won’t have any big surprises. Ask the hard questions:

  • Have there been any major issues with the systems in the home?
  • Does the homeowner expect any potential major repairs with the home currently?
  • Does the pool have a leak?
  • Have there been any roof issues? How old is the roof?

They may tell you all of these questions can be answered during your home inspection, and of course they can. But, if you can get some of those answers ahead of time, why not? Don’t wait to spend your money on a home inspection to find out details you can get now.

We here at Divinity Inspection Service strive to help all our clients feel as comfortable as possible during the home inspection process. You can always call us to ask questions before your home inspection. Schedule your inspection here!

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All the Reasons Why You Need a Home Inspector

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Why Should You Have A Pre Listing Home Inspection?

Recently we were hired to inspect a home that was under contract for purchase. The buyers were first time home owners and came to use through a referral. After discussing what they needed and setting a day and time, we met at the home for their inspection. When I arrived I realized the home had a sea wall because it sat on a canal. While the new buyers told us the home was on a canal, they did not mention they had a sea wall. How could they? They didn’t even know! I explained to them the importance of having the sea wall inspected, even though there was a small additional cost. They agreed and the inspection ensued.

Upon inspection of this sea wall we found some major foundation cracks. These are the kind of issues you don’t want to find out about after you’ve purchased a home. This kind of repair has a heft price tag associated with it. We walked the new buyers through the inspection, explained everything as we always do, and gave them the details on everything about the home.

Since the home owner chose not to have a pre-listing home inspection done, they also did not know there were existing issues with the sea wall. The new buyers now had to re-negotiate the sale of the house based on this finding.

I know what you’re thinking. “This is why I don’t want a home inspection. A home inspector could kill the dream of buying our dream home! It could kill the dream of selling my house!”. If that is what you are thinking, you couldn’t be more wrong. Our goal is most certainly not to “kill” any home purchasing deal. However, if we hadn’t found the issues then the new home owners could have very quickly found themselves is a financially difficult situation. And while having to re-negotiate the sale of the home, it certainly doesn’t mean the deal is dead. On that same note, had the owner done a pre-listing inspection on the home they would have known about the issue and could have accounted for it before putting their home on the market for sale.

This story is only one of many that we experience every week. New home owners move into a home without having it inspected only to find they’ve walked into expensive necessary repairs. We have no authority to enforce standards but rather to merely point out conditions as they exist and make recommendations.

We would recommend repair to minor grouting in the shower stall just as we would for a leaking roof. Our goal is to help our clients distinguish between the significant needs of the home and those that are more commonplace. Click here to schedule your home inspection today!