Questions to Ask When Getting Your Home Inspected

Why get your home inspected? Quite simply, you definitely want to know what you are getting into when you buy a home and this will help you determine if the house is worth it to you. Keep in mind, this is to advise you of what issues the house may have had, is having or may potential have. With that being said, it is a negotiation tool and can provide you insight of what troubles may lurk ahead.

So, when you hire a home inspector to inspect your potential new home, you will want to be sure you understand the inspection report you are presented with. In addition to any questions you may have about his/her inspection and report; you may have seen some issues or problems yourself and will want to alert the home inspector beforehand so they can look into it further as well.

Get the most out of your home inspection and utilize the experience of your home inspector by asking them questions about things you have found, things they have found and their home inspection report. These questions can be about potential damage, age of structures, appliances, pipes, electrical and the like. All of these things will help you make the best decision about the purchase of a home.

Inform the Home Inspector about Issues You Find

Before you think about making an offer, you will look at quite a few houses and make mental notes about what you can live with and what may be more effort than it’s worth. A second review might occur before making an offer at which time you may have some questions about some problems that you see. When you schedule an appointment with your home inspector, note these concerns to be sure they pay special attention to them so they may give you additional insight into your concerns. Common concerns may be the age of certain appliances, cracks in interior and exterior structures, electrical wiring and etc. These may be checks they would have already made and noted in their report, but it can’t hurt to bring it up beforehand.

Home Inspector and Inspection Report Finds

Don’t be afraid to ask questions to the home inspector about the report. They should go over the full report, their findings, with you. If not, it is in your best interest to ask to go over it with them so you understand what issues they found and the full details of all of the potential problems. It is common to have a lot of things noted in the report as all homes will have them, new and old but whether they will cost you lots of money over the long run or potential damage, like a fire, will be worth the extra investigating on your part.

After talking these things over with your home inspector, further discuss them with your real estate agent in that they can take your concerns back to the home owner and ask to have them make some or all of the repairs. Obviously, it will depend upon the issues found; however, this is the time to do so. Keep in mind that if you aren’t happy with the home inspection problems found or the inability of the current home owner to repair them, you still have the opportunity to walk away from this deal.

Age Can Make a Huge Impact

While not all older homes are something to walk away from, you still need to consider all of the large ticket item age. These are appliances, plumbing, electrical as well as the foundation and structure. Should the windows need to be replaced, while the roof needs repair, the water heater needs to be replaced, the foundation has a large crack, the septic pipes are covered in roots and the wiring is out of date – these would cause a huge problem if they all needed to be taken care of all at the same time. However, if one needed to be replaced in 20 years while another was good for 10 years, that might be something you could handle if the rest of the house was perfect for you and your family. You have to know what your deal breakers are and where your comfort level is to include that of your financial situation.

Point being – ask questions about the age of all major appliances, structural components and the working order of those major ticket items. Nothing like buying a house and then having to replace something worth several thousand dollars or more and having no equity in the home to help you with a loan.

Just because they are older, again, doesn’t mean they will need replacing immediately. The home inspector can give insight on how the appliances and structure were taken care of and maybe provide an idea, no guarantees, of how long it might continue to work well before being replaced. Again, keep in mind that the home inspector reports on the facts of the condition and appearance of the items they are inspecting. There are never any guarantees how long certain things will last and if and when they will need to be repaired and replaced.

At the end of the day, a home inspection is something that gives you much more detail and insight into a home based on fact and review by an experienced home inspector. It can help you make a more informed decision on whether to go through the purchase of a new home. It is a big decision but well worth the investment if you make good decisions and take care of your investment.

Should you need a home inspection or have any questions about yours, please contact A-Action Home Inspection. We will be happy to work with you to help you determine if your eyes are on a house that will likely make you happy for a long time.