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Home Inspections Cost Less

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Home Inspections cost less than you think. The average new home buyer may consider skipping a home inspection but when you think about the cost of a home inspection vs. potential home repairs, it makes no sense at all. Check out some of the average costs in common home repairs we find during our inspections and compare them to making the $500 decision of getting your home inspected. The list we’ve created below are potential repairs, that when identified ahead of time, could save you a significant amount of money. We hope that after reading this article you find that home inspections cost less than you ever realized!

The Roof

The average new roof on a home costs approximately $15,000. The larger the home the higher the cost of a new roof. Every home inspector will inspect the roof to identify how many years are left on the vitality of the roof. If your roof will need to be replaced soon you can better prepare for that big expense. Sometimes you can even negotiate the expense into the purchase price.

New Plumbing

The average cost of new plumbing in a 1500 square foot home ranges from $4,000 – $10,000. In older homes, plumbing is a common issue that many times need to be addressed. Without a proper home inspection this issue is easily overlooked. With such an expensive potential home repair, a $500 home inspection should seem necessary.

Flood Zones

In Florida, if a home is in a flood zone then it will be listed. However, not all homes that experience some type of flooding is actually listed in a flood zone. Some neighborhoods might experience flooding throughout the neighborhood, or a driveway, or backyard, etc. A home inspector would be able to find identifiers that suggest flooding issues. A major flooding issue would easily cost you thousands of dollars to repair.

As you can see, home repairs come in all sizes. Some big, some small, some minor, and some major. When you get a thorough home inspection like what Divinity Inspection Service offers, you can find peace of mind knowing that any issue will be determined, listed, and detailed in our home inspection report.All of a sudden $500 doesn’t sound like a lot now does it?

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Home Inspections and Flooding

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Due to the excessive rain we’ve had in Tampa the last few days, we felt the need to share a little information on home inspections and flooding. The down-pouring of rain these last few weeks have made living in Tampa feel more like living in Seattle. While this much rain this often isn’t year-round, it can certainly cause issues for many homes around the Tampa Bay Area. This is especially true for homes located in flood zones, specifically in South Tampa, and along the shoreline. Flood hazards directly effects the buying and selling of a home. As we’ve mentioned in a few of our past blogs, inspecting a home during the rain can actually be a really good thing. In addition, and for any home-buyer, here are a few questions and warning signs to look out for when purchasing a home in South Florida.

The Flood Zone

As always, it is the seller’s responsibility to let you know if the home you are considering purchasing is within a flood zone. Although it is the seller’s duty, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask. especially living in Florida in areas like Tampa, South Tampa, St. Petersburg, Treasure Island, North Tampa, and even Land O’ Lakes areas. All over Tampa are flood zones and there is a good chance your future home is in one. Don’t assume the seller will let you know, go ahead and ask them. Even if the house is not in a flood zone the neighborhood could experience some flooding when there is substantial rain and you’ll want to know about it ahead of time. You can also enter the home address into FEMA’s Flood Map to find out.

What Flooding Can Cost You

Living in Florida means no basements, so you don’t have to worry about your basement flooding if you’re in a flood zone. If you live, or are planning to live, on the coast then you should already be familiar with the mandatory standards for coastal flooding. Living in a flood zone also has some costs associated with the location, such as higher insurance premiums (much higher in fact!), difficult access in and out of your driveway or neighborhood, higher maintenance costs on your home, or even more maintenance on your car if you experience a substantial amount of travel during flooding. Be aware of the extra costs before committing to a home within a flood zone. Of course, during our home inspection if we see any signs of flooding within or around the home we’ll be sure to give you all the information you need.

Deal Breaker or Not?

Should flooding issues be a deal breaker or not? This question is a little tricky because there are so many flood zones all around Tampa that excluding these homes would narrow down your options considerably. That being said, ultimately it is your decision. Flooding issues can vary in intensity and you may find that the flooding issues near or around your home are minor, making a small impact on your decision. The more information you know about your future home, the better!

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What to Expect for the Housing Market in 2017

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As we steadily approach the Fall of 2016, it’s important for you to prepare for the housing market in 2017. According to Time, the housing market is still in the healing process from prior bumps and bruises from the last inventory squeeze. With the 9% less inventory than 2015, the housing market needs to be on their A game.

We’ve accumulated a short list of what to expect in the next year’s housing market to prepare for what’s soon to come.

Lower home prices

The Tampa/St.Petersburg area is predicted to have a 3% home increase which, compared to the whopping 8.7% increase of house prices, is a relief. Chris Flanagan, Bank of America analyst, even predicts in 2017 the price level will decline to 1.7% in 2017, 2.1% in 2018, and 0.8% in 2019.

Housing Construction will be on the move

Home construction has decreased, however it’s expected to see some movement with more renters becoming homeowners. In fact, the Tampa area has already seen an increase in construction and new builds.

Low Mortgage

According to Gord Collins, mortgage rates are expected to stay low with wages and employment increasing.

More housing units to be occupied

According to Forbes, More housing units are being occupied, and that dictates a strengthening market in 2016.

According to Bloomberg, Chris Flanagan predicted in a report on August 1, 2016, that starting in 2017 the U.S. housing market will experience three straight years of “modest” declines in property values. This is great news for both sellers and buyers. Especially considering the past few years we’ve had in the real estate industry. A nice turn-around would be a refreshing change for everyone!