What Is A Home Inspection?
A Home Inspection is a professional third-party evaluation of certain aspects of a home. It’s objective and professional. Home inspections will include things such as water damage, pest infestations, roof condition, electrical issues, plumbing problems, structural issues and foundation issues. The inspection is about assuring the safety of your home and takes a few hours for a typical-sized house.
The home inspection process is often referred to as a “pass/fail” test, with both buyers and sellers stating that they hope their home “passes the inspection”. But, in reality, it is much more complex, and the term “passing inspection” depends on the individual home inspectors and the buyers and sellers.
The buyer of a house will hire a Home Inspectors who will inspect the property and make a visual inspection to determine the condition of the property and any potential health or safety issues.
We offers a Standard of Practice to guide inspectors as they conduct a home inspection. Inspectors are guided by this standard of practice when addressing everything from the exterior of the house to the plumbing system. Home inspectors concentrate on major mechanical, health or safety issues.
Because an inspection isn’t a pass/fail, it opens the door to renegotiation. The buyer is not required to accept the condition of your property, and you are not obliged to make any repairs.
When Is A Home Inspection Required During The Sale Of A House?
There are two types of inspections that can occur in a home sale: a seller’s, and a buyer inspection. The seller’s inspection is done before the house is listed. Some sellers decide to have their home inspected before they begin preparing their house for sale. This allows them to fix any issues that may arise and save time during the closing process. Later, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of a pre inspection.
The buyer’s inspection is done after you accept a buyer offer, but before closing on the sale. A home inspection may allow the buyer to change their offer, or ask for repairs if there are issues. The buyer may decide to walk away if they find more problems than they are willing to fix after the inspection.
Another important distinction is that mortgage lenders do not require home inspections for home buyers to get a loan. It is usually the lender who orders an appraisal. However, the buyer can request a home inspection. This is highly recommended. The number of buyers who include an inspection condition depends on the market.
What To Expect From The Home Inspection Process
The average home inspection will take a few hours. After that, the report is completed in three to four working days. The home inspector will inspect the inside and outside of the house for any defects, broken items, or dangerous issues.
Who Should Attend The Home Inspection?
The buyer, buyer’s representative, and sometimes the agent of the seller are usually present at the inspection. Most industry experts do not recommend that the home seller stay around. It can be hard for sellers to hear the inspector explain to the buyer or their agent the defects and problems in the house because they are emotionally attached to it.
If I work with the buyer, then we can see the problem first-hand. Day says that if he is working with a seller, he knows exactly what the seller wants and can either refute it or find an authority. Sometimes the house can be crowded. “Sometimes the inspector and agent are all that’s there.”
Imagine you are the buyer. You’d want to be able to ask the inspector frank and honest questions about the house. You should be present if you, as a home seller, order a pre-listing inspection. The inspector is there to work for you.
The person who schedules and arranges the inspection of the house should be there at all times.
What Are The Main Things That Home Inspectors Check?
A home inspector has a list of many things they check. The inspector’s role is to detect defects and they will do so, says Andy Peters a leading real estate agent from Atlanta. “We must focus on health and safety issues first, then major defects.”
This is not a complete list of the things inspectors are looking for when inspecting a home.
- Water Damage
- Issues relating to foundations and structural issues
- Roofs that are old or damaged
- Electrical system damage
- Plumbing Problems
- Insects and pest invasion
- HVAC System Issues
- Garage door operation
- Safety railings, steps, and stairways
- Fire Operation
The Internachi Home Inspectors in Las Vegas will recommend that another expert confirms their findings and makes recommendations if the inspection reveals major flaws such as a mold or pest problem.
What Home Inspectors Don’t Look For
Home inspectors do not care about cosmetic items in a house. If a home inspection spends time looking at your peeling wallpaper they are not interested in the aesthetics but if there is moisture or mold present.
The interior of the fireplace, the chimney, the security system, screens, shutters and other outbuildings (other than the garage or carport) are all things that do not factor into the home inspection.