Do You Need a Home Inspection?

Are you buying a house? Have you thought about the home inspection yet? Are you wondering if you need a home inspection? I will answer this question for you and give you reasons why.

The short answer is YES!

You don’t absolutely have to have a home inspection but it is always good idea and it couldn’t hurt.

I always suggest that buyers have a home inspection completed by someone qualified but if they don’t want to then that is their choice. That is expect on the occasion when the lender requires an inspection to be completed.

I am going to give you the reasons why you need a home inspection.

1.It Could Save You Thousands

Buying a home will probably be your biggest investment. You could invest into a money pit.

If you don’t have a home inspection conducted on your home you could end up having to put more money into it on items that could have been seen by a home inspector. Some repairs that are caught during a home inspection cost Thousands of Dollars.

A new furnace, roof, electrical issues, plumbing issues, structural issues all cost well into the thousands of dollars.

2.The Seller Might Pay for Repairs

If you have an inspection and there are repairs or safety concerns that come up you may be able to get the seller to pay for the repairs. The seller may also reduce the purchase price if they are unable to make the repairs.

This again can save you money by having the seller pay for the repairs. If you have a home inspection report to back up your requests for repairs sellers are much more likely to make the repairs.

3.You Can Learn More About Your Home

If you hire the right home inspector that knows what he is doing he can actually teach you more about your home. It is important to make sure you hire a home inspector that will take the time to explain things to you and let you ask questions.

It is possible that your new home may have systems that you are unfamiliar with such as boiler system, water softener, water filters, sump pump, septic system, etc.

When you are having the home, inspection conducted you should have an opportunity to have all of your questions answered.

4.Home Inspections Offer More Services

Home inspection companies are now offer more advanced services. They can do sewer line inspections where they send a camera down the sewer line to check from cracks or blockage.

They can do thermal imaging that allows for a special camera to inspect for temperature differences in the ceilings and walls. This will help the inspector determine if there might me a water leak inside a wall or ceiling or other issues.

They can test for radon. Radon is an odorless gas that can’t be seen. Although not everyone agrees, there have been studies that show that radon can lead to cancer.

Home Inspectors will be able to test and check for things that can go unnoticed for years and cause major issues down the road.

5.Peace of Mind

Imagine you just bought a house. You put over $10,000 down and paid closing costs. Then you move in and the Air Condition stops working, or the furnace quits, or you get a roof leak. There are so many things that can happen and you shouldn’t have to worry about these things.

Now a home inspection can guarantee nothing will ever go wrong but you can sleep at night knowing that a qualified, certified home inspector looked at everything and has made sure it is in good condition.

Not All Home Inspectors Are the Same

This is why you should call around and get information from multiple inspectors. Don’t just use the cheapest. You don’t necessarily want to go with the most expensive either.

There is more to it then just the price of the home inspection. You need to make sure the inspection company offers the services that you will need and they are qualified to do them.

HINT: Don’t just use the inspector that your Realtor tells you to use. Just because they have used him 100 times it doesn’t mean they are the right one to inspect your home. Call around and get the best inspector for the home and services you need.

Conclusion

Do you need a home inspection to buy a home? NO, but YES, your definitely SHOULD.

If you have any questions about the home buying process check out “Path to Homeownership” and if you haven’t been prequalified for a loan yet check out my article “PreQualified or PreApproved”.

If you are looking for a home check out my home search on my Nova Star Real Estate website.

As always please contact me with any question you may have, leave me a comment bellow or send me an email. You can also find me on Facebook. I would be glad to help you!