Buying

Tips for attending the home inspection

October 12, 2016

Attending the home inspection is one of the most important parts of buying a new home. You want to make sure the home you’re buying is in good shape. Therefore, I feel strongly that our buyers always be at the home inspection. You will get a written report after the inspection, but that doesn’t take the place of being there to see things for yourself and ask the inspector questions. Plus, unless you’re extremely knowledgeable about home construction, it’s difficult to understand what in the inspection report is a big problem or defect and what is really a minor issue.

Here is my list of tips for attending the home inspection:

  1. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. You may be standing for the whole inspection and may even be asked by the inspector to look at something in a dusty, dirty part of the house.
  2. The inspector isn’t psychic. S/he can only see obvious defects and cannot see what’s going on with plumbing, electrical, etc. inside walls. Therefore, having a clean inspection report doesn’t mean you won’t ever have a problem with a home down the road. It just means what can be seen seems to be in good shape.
  3. Don’t be afraid to ask the inspector questions, especially if you don’t understand an explanation. It’s crucial you understand each issue and whether it’s a minor issue or an expensive repair.
  4. Bring a tape measure with you to take any needed room measurements for furniture, etc. as we may not be able to get back into the home until the final walk through the day before closing. In addition, if you want family/friends to see the home, this is a good time. We just need to stay out of the inspectors way so we don’t slow it down.
  5. If you are planning to have any work done to the home, it’s best to arrange for contractors, painters, floor refinishers, etc. to come by sometime during the inspection to give you estimates. We may not be able to get into the home again until the final walk through. If you need referrals for service providers, please let me know.
  6. Bring your checkbook with you as most inspectors require payment at the end of the inspection. (You’ll find this out when you call to schedule the inspection.)
  7. Inspection reports are generally emailed to you within 2 days after the inspection. As soon as you get the inspection report, be sure to email it to me so we can look it over. We’ll then set up a time to discuss any items we want to ask the seller to fix or give a closing cost credit to repair after closing.
  8. Remember that the point of the inspection is to:
    1. Discover safety issues
    2. See if there are any structural issues
    3. Discover any needed repairs to the working components. For instance we want to make sure that all of the appliances are working, that the furnace and A/C units are working, etc.
    4. We are NOT there to nit pick because we don’t like the paint colors, there is a dent in the fridge door, the furnace needs to be cleaned, the gutters need to be swept out, etc. Unless you are buying new construction, no home is going to be perfect. If you aren’t buying new construction, then we need to accept the house with its cosmetic flaws. Remember, we are mainly concerned with safety issues and things not working.

IMPORTANT: Before the inspection, download and bring this checklist. While the inspector is conducting the inspection, you can be checking off each item on the list. In addition, you’ll likely want to measure for furniture placement. Lastly, we recommend photographing every room and closet in the property so you’ll have something to refer to later when planning where to place furniture, considering updating paint colors, adding shelves to closets, etc.

Have questions about your upcoming inspection?  Call or text me at 405-585-6580 or email Steve@SoldonShawnee.com.