Typical Mistakes Made At Home Inspections

By Author: Brain Jenkins
Total Articles: 36
Comment this article

When you are buying a home, the home inspection is one of the move important parts of the process. If you don't get a home inspection, you may pay for a house that has a leaky roof, poor wiring, termite and other pest damage, dangerous asbestos qualities in the air, a crumbling foundation, or more! After you've purchased the house, there is little you can do if you've waived your right to a home inspection. They're absolutely necessary.

Even some people who get home inspections make huge mistakes in dealing with these findings. What do you do if your inspector finds a problem? What do you do if your inspector misses something huge? How you react is up to you – but don't make the follow home inspection mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not Signing a Contract with your Home Inspector

Some inspectors are sent y the city in order to ensure that the home in inhabitable or able to be renovated. However, when it comes to buying a home, you'll more than likely need to work with an inspector who works for an inspection company. In this case, always sign a contract.

Home inspections usually cost between ...
... $300 and $2000, depending on the size of the home and the types of things the person is inspecting. Read the contract carefully so that you understand exactly what you are getting for your money. There should also be something in the contract guaranteeing you against mistakes and omissions so that if the home inspector is wrong or doesn't see a huge problem, you can get your money back or otherwise take care of the problem.

Mistake #2: Not Considering your Payment Options

In today's market, it is a buyer's world. That means that homeowners often offer incentives to potential buyers. Find out when it he last time the buyer had the home inspected. If it's been five years or more, ask them to partially pay for a new home inspection. You might not decide to purchase the house, but if this is the case, the homeowner will have the home inspection results to show other potential buyers.

You can also talk to the homeowner about signing a contract to buy if the home inspection comes back clean. You'll be able to consider your options if there are problems, but otherwise, you'll go into escrow and purchase the house. If this is the case, the homeowner might be willing to completely pay for the inspection.

Mistake #3: Hiring an Inspector Affiliated with a Contractor

Inspection is a tricky business. If your home inspector is affiliated with a contractor of any kind, there's the chance that his review of the home might be dishonest. He may say that your foundation needs work, for example, but in reality, that might be just to direct your business toward the contractor.

Many states have strict laws as to how an inspector must work. In some cases, it is illegal for an inspector to be affiliated with a contractor or to do any kind of contracting work himself. In other states, this is not illegal. Regardless, be very careful about who you hire. Ask for recommendations and samples of their work before you shell out any money.

Mistake #4: Not Understanding your Home Inspection

If you don't understand your home inspection, why get on in the first place? Make sure that the results you are give are easy to understand so that you can make a good choice about purchasing the house or not. If there is something that you don't understand, ask the inspector to explain it to you.

In addition, the home's current residents should completely understand the home inspection as well. This is especially important if you decide not to buy or are asking for a credit to fix a problem that was uncovered. Provide them with a copy of the inspection report, as well as the phone number and other contact information of the inspector.

Again, the biggest mistake you can make in regards to home inspections is to not get one at all. Current homeowners aren't necessarily out to trick you into buying a property with a ton of problems. However, they've probably lived in the home for years – or even decades in many cases. They may simply not know that there are any problems. By getting a home inspection, you're protecting yourself and potentially avoiding making what could be a bad investment. Home inspections should be a part of every real estate transaction.

About Author:
Brain Jenkins is a freelance writer who writes about large businesses for home owners such as Fidelity National Home Warranty and American Home Shield.http://www.realtor.org/