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What To Expect In A Home Inspection During The Pandemic

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The real estate market is on fire right now. And its a sellers market. That means not only are homes flying of the shelves like crazy, prices are up and inventory is down. Who would have expected this would be the market condition during a pandemic? And as such, you may notice a few different things happening during your home inspection.

Extra safety measures

All home inspectors should be implementing additional safety measures for both their employees and the sellers / buyers. In fact, when you call a home inspector to schedule an appointment you need to ask the about their new COVID-19 protocols. They should be able to tell you what you can expect as either the seller or buyer.

Less people involved

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, you may find less people at your home inspection. In some cases, you would see one to three home inspectors, your real estate agent and the buyers. Sometimes the sellers also attend. However, in an effort to limit exposure, some home inspectors may ask that no one except the buyer’s realtor attend the inspection. While not all safety protocols may be convenient, they are important. A good home inspector will make accommodations and provide a very detailed report so you don’t feel like you’re missing anything.

Extra cleaning during the pandemic

Some home inspectors don’t clean up behind themselves. Unfortunately, some even leave a mess behind! They track mud on the floors, leave lights on and leave the A/C turned down very low. Simply put – it’s sloppy work. Due to COVID-19, extra cleaning should be included in every inspection. This goes beyond the normal standard of cleanliness and respect. Home inspectors should be cleaning behind themselves as much as possible. And hopefully homeowners are cleaning behind the home inspection as well. Everyone needs to pitch in for the safety of each other.

Home inspections are a necessary step to any and all home purchases. However, a safe work environment should remain the top priority. While we might find ourselves enduring new challenges, our goal is to make sure all of our customers are happy with our service. Divinity Inspection Services has always gone the extra mile by using our personal standard of service that all of our inspectors follow. Our goal is to make sure every customer is beyond satisfied with their thorough home inspection.

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Your Home Inspection During Extreme Weather

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Have you ever considered how the weather could effect your home inspection? If you live in an area with extreme weather then you may have already considered how extreme weather and home inspections are related. In fact, knowing that could be a huge benefit for the home-buyer. This will discuss how different weather patterns can affect a thorough home inspection and how to avoid mistakes by accommodating the weather.

The Heat in the Attic

Let’s start with the heat since Divinity Inspections Service is located in tropical Florida and we are now in the midst of summer. The temperature is hot every single day and sometimes the humidity makes the temperature feel even higher. But as hot as it may feel outside it is even hotter in your attic! This is especially dangerous for a home inspector. Because of the heat, some home inspectors may choose not to inspect the attic. If they are able to inspect the attic they may be prevented from doing a thorough job because of the heat or lack of ventilation. In this case, try to schedule the home inspection in the early morning or during the late evenings to give the home a chance to cool off a little. Either way, your home inspector at the very least needs to look into the attic.

The roof during the rain

A home inspection during the rain has both cons and pros. However, the roof certainly becomes more dangerous if it needs to be inspected during the rain. Since home inspectors have to check the roof thoroughly, they will still inspect it during inclement weather. However, if the weather is too dangerous (such as lightning or heavy winds) then you may have to reschedule your home inspection.

The Heat Under the House

A crawl space is very similar to an attic space. These tiny spaces usually lack proper (or sometimes no) ventilation creating a very dangerous situation for a home inspector. Also, depending on the foundation under the home, the very foundation could be effected by the heat. A good home inspector does a thorough inspection of every area of the home, crawl space included. If the home you are considering buying has a crawl space under the house you may want to keep this in mind during those extra hot summer days.

The weather and home inspections may not seem to correlate at first, but they most certainly do. That being said, a good home inspector will already have a plan for inclement weather. A local home inspector, like Divinity Inspections Services, will also be used to the area, know what to expect, and take that into consideration when you make your appointment.

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Should You Sell Your House During The Pandemic?

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The pandemic has disrupted and continues to disrupt many markets. Did you have plans to sell your home when the coronavirus hit the U.S.? Now, you might be wrestling with the really tough decision about whether to move forward — and when.

Some potential sellers are frozen in place, constrained by the pandemic and hoping for improvements in the coming months. But not every seller has the luxury to take a wait-and-see approach without making serious trade-offs. Some may be driven by a job relocation, a growing family, or other life events.

Although selling a home in 2020 and beyond is going to look a lot different than it used to, people haven’t stopped selling houses altogether. And considering that the lingering effects of the virus could last into 2021 and beyond, we can’t expect an “all clear” signal anytime soon for putting out that “for sale” sign.

Find an agent who can help you sell safely

Connect with a professional using the best tools, technology, and practices to navigate COVID-19. The pandemic requires a new way of selling which includes precautions, virtual tours, cleaning and more. All agents should be requiring their buyers to wear masks and gloves. They should also facilitate how many surfaces are being touched and how to safely show the home. You need an agent who can find a way to enforce these regulations and prioritizes your health as well as selling your home.

Real estate analysts predict that COVID-19 will most negatively impact the luxury housing market. Buyers at higher price points who have large holdings in the equity markets may postpone large real estate transactions as they wait for stocks to recover from the market plunge.

Online presence and marketability

According to HomeLight’s Flash Poll for the week of April 1, 2020, 84% of agents have shut down open houses and 45% are restricting or eliminating physical showings. That means your home must shine in online listing photos and videos to convince buyers to leave their house to view it in-person. Many photographers are now offering walk-through videos as well as photos. A professional video will make your home shine. Walking around with your iPhone and shooting a video of your home will not have the same impact. Hire a professional and it will make all the difference.

Open houses are limited during the pandemic

Agents are steering away from open houses. With the requirement of keeping 6 feet apart, an open house just isn’t a feasible option. Also, you don’t want to crowd your home with people and hope that everyone is following the rules. Instead, find an agent that is going to advertise your home significantly so you can depend on appointments only or virtual showings.

If you decide you want to have an open house you will have a lot of steps to take and variables to manage. While disinfecting surfaces and adhering to social distancing practices reduces your household’s risk of coming into contact with the COVID-19 virus, they do not eliminate it. You should discuss the home sale process with members of your house before you list. You may need to adjust visitor procedures or delay your home sale depending on their response.

Few will judge if your home sits on the market

In normal circumstances, homes that sit on the market above an average number of days are at a disadvantage. Homes with a high days on market count can carry a stigma — buyers wonder if the property has something wrong with it or if it’s priced incorrectly.

However, present buyers and buyers’ agents are considerate of COVID-19’s impact on the market so they are unlikely to look down upon homes taking longer to sell. Some MLS systems are even suspending or pausing the accumulation of days on market in order to accommodate for this slower period. This is something you can ask your agent about and they should be able to tell you what to expect in regard to a longer home selling time-frame

You can always change your mind

If you list your home and then are unable to follow through with the sale due to an illness, job loss, or other reason, you can cancel the transaction without repercussions so long as you include a COVID-19 clause in the home sale contract. We definitely recommend you discuss this with your realtor. In most cases contracts with a real estate agent will list specific reasons why you can cancel the listing contract. You want to make sure COVID-19 reasons are listed for your benefit.

To avoid any extra charges from your real estate, review your listing agreement carefully to see if they charge a fee for taking your home off the market early. You can negotiate your agent’s standard agreement to reduce the length of the contract or waive fees; they may be particularly accommodating at this time. Divinity Inspections is always here to help you when you need referrals, a property inspection or a pre-listing inspection.

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Showing Homes Amid COVID-19

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The Tampa real estate market has been waiting to understand the effects, if any, from the current COVID-19 pandemic. Some media outlets claim homes are being pulled from the market as homebuyers hesitate to make any big purchases among a see of layoffs. However, some real estate professionals are claiming they are busier than ever. If you are planning on listing your home, here are some important steps you can and should take to keep your home safe during this environment.

Post instructions for tours

Some sellers have posted specific instructions on their front door for any home tours. Sellers are requiring scheduled tours only and staying away from open houses. In addition, the posted instructions include wearing face masks and gloves. Some include taking off their shoes or wearing booties. Most will include using hand sanitizer throughout the tour our Lysol wipes to wipe down door knobs and counters. At the end of the day, you should require whatever is going to make you feel most comfortable and what will be safe for everyone.

Limiting home tours by using virtual tours

Staying away open houses is one thing, limiting scheduled tours is another. Some sellers are limiting tours to specific days of the week or specific time windows. This might seem counter-intuitive but with virtual tours available online, you don’t have to make your home as available. In fact, by using virtual tours you can filter out the more serious buyers from those who are just looking.

Keeping your house safe for everyone involved

As with any scheduled home tour, you will leave your home. In a normal environment you might go to the mall or a neighbor’s house to kill time until you can return home. Visiting others is not encouraged so you will need another plan. Where can you go if you need to be out of the house for thirty minutes or an hour? You should have a few places you know you can go at different time of the days when needed.

Staying safe should be the priority for everyone. You want your house to sell but you also want to stay healthy during the covid-19 pandemic. Take whatever precautions you need for your family’s safety and the safety of others. Your real estate agent will be happy to help you with these specifications and we will also take the same precautions.

The Best Time To Get A Home Inspection

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This may come as a surprise, but there are times that are better to get a home inspection. And it may not be what you think. In most cases, when you schedule a home inspection you are at the mercy of available days and times. Especially if you are:

1. Aiming for a specific closing date
2. Trying to close very quickly
3. Have a small window of time to conduct the home inspection

However, it is those homebuyers who have the patience and time that will truly benefit.

Summer rains are the best

In Tampa summer is for raining because it rains almost every single day. But, believe it or not, during the rain can be the most beneficial. There are things that happen only when it rains, and as a result, you can’t see it otherwise. For example, flooding. Maybe the driveway floods, or water gets into the garage, or puddles in the backyard. Identifying these, and other potential flooding issue, are only possible when water is around.

Granted, we cannot conduct a thorough inspection during a hefty storm. If lightening is present that prevents us from getting on the roof, which is certainly dangerous during a lightning storm. So keep in mind, if its possible for you to schedule your inspection on a day that is called to rain (which is almost every day) then you could really benefit.

Do a drive by at night

Before you close on any house you should always do a drive by in the evening. This gives you the opportunity to check lights, see the area in another “light”, and get a different perspective on the home. If you can also drive by during the rain that could be great for you too. Sometimes its not the house that floods, but the roads around the house. The last thing you want to worry about is a road that keeps a lot of water and you have to drive through it every time.

Don’t forget to call us for your home inspection needs. You want a reliable and thorough home inspector on your side.