Tips to Help Prepare Both Buyers and Sellers for a Home Inspection
Whether buying or selling a house, a professional home inspection is essential to help protect your interest. Despite the millions of home inspections conducted across North America, strongly endorsed and encouraged by real estate professionals and lending institutions alike, many consumers are unfamiliar with the quick and easy process.
What is a home inspection and how can a homebuyer or seller get ready for one?
In essence, it's a thorough visual inspection and written evaluation of more than 300 items in the house, from foundation to roof, the inspection report provides home buyers with unique insight into the condition of the home and its major operating systems prior to closing.
A pre-listing inspection by the seller helps ensure compliance with disclosure requirements and also objectively points sellers to areas of the home that could be repaired or enhanced before the house reaches market, thereby encouraging a faster sale and a better price.
A typical home inspection takes two to three hours and costs $275 to $450.
For those in the market for a home and those planning to put their homes on the market, here are a few tips:
Buyers should arrange for a professional home inspection immediately upon making a decision to purchase a specific home.
Include a protective home inspection clause in the purchase agreement that will allow ample time to schedule, complete and review the inspection report.
Write down any questions you want to ask the inspector about the property. This is particularly important for buyers.
Buyers are urged to accompany the home inspector for the entire inspection. Take your list of questions.
Sellers should have their homes inspected well in advance of listing the property, allowing ample time for recommended improvements.
Let your inspector know of recent upgrades, mechanical repairs and service contracts. It might enhance a potential buyer's view of the home when included in the report.
Prior to the inspection, the seller must ensure ready access to all rooms, crawl spaces and operating systems, including the furnace, water heater and electrical panels.
Sellers should be present for pre-listing inspections. Have your questions ready.
Homeowners are encouraged to clean the house thoroughly before an inspection.
WIN Home Inspection is a customer service driven organization focused on enhancing the home inspection experience by providing the customer with knowledge and confidence to make an informed decision. The organization is one of North America's largest and fastest growing home inspection networks.