Buying A Home |
Whether the home is newly built or 30 years old, you should always have a home inspection done before signing on the dotted line. A home inspection will reveal potential issues that you can negotiate with the seller to fix before closing on the home or, if you are a handy man, fix yourself down the road if it is not a safety issue. Most real estate agents will recommend a home inspection before closing on the home. It's like a check-up on your house!
Negotiate The Big Stuff
If you are a DIYer, a home inspection report is a handy referral guide to help you bring your new home up to your level of standards. You know that you can buy a new GFCI outlet for the bathroom from your local Home Depot for under $15 and install it in under 30 minutes. For those of you who would rather not learn, I'm pretty sure you know someone who will install it for you for the price of a six-pack! (As a professional, I recommend hiring an electrician.) This is one of those things you may not want to negotiate with the seller on. If however, the report reveals that there is old water damage from a leak either from the roof or foundation, investigate further to find out if the source of the leak was found and repaired. Your realtor is a great resource for this.
Most sellers realize their home is not perfect and there may be some items that need to be fixed. Keep in mind that they may be just as surprised as you are that their roof had soft spots. Other times it may be they don't have the finances and/or time to have them repaired. It doesn't hurt to try to negotiate for those high ticket repairs/replacements. If the seller declines, you have to make an educated decision as to whether or not it is in your budget to repair/replace if you buy the house.
Have Your Own Inspection Done
Many sellers are supplying a pre-home inspection report at their open house. This is very useful to you as the buyer. No two inspection reports will match line for line, but the major safety issues usually do. With that in mind, you will still want to invest in your own home inspection. You will want an unbiased third-party, someone who is working for you, not the current home owner. Your real estate agent will usually have a few trusted inspectors they work with. With your own report in hand, it is easier to go to the negotiating table if necessary.
In short, your home inspection report is a great tool for helping you make sure you are getting what you are paying for in the home you want to buy. As a new home owner, you need to be familiar with your home. I will review the report with you and educate you on all the important aspects of your home, as well as, share with you how you can maintain a healthy and safe home for your family. I will also provide you with a copy of InterNACHI's, "Now That You've Had A Home Inspection" guide. This helpful resource will ensure that you stay on top of minor maintenance and routine repairs and not have them turn into expensive disasters down the road.
This is my way of saying, "Thank you for using Timberland Home Inspections".
Negotiate The Big Stuff
If you are a DIYer, a home inspection report is a handy referral guide to help you bring your new home up to your level of standards. You know that you can buy a new GFCI outlet for the bathroom from your local Home Depot for under $15 and install it in under 30 minutes. For those of you who would rather not learn, I'm pretty sure you know someone who will install it for you for the price of a six-pack! (As a professional, I recommend hiring an electrician.) This is one of those things you may not want to negotiate with the seller on. If however, the report reveals that there is old water damage from a leak either from the roof or foundation, investigate further to find out if the source of the leak was found and repaired. Your realtor is a great resource for this.
Most sellers realize their home is not perfect and there may be some items that need to be fixed. Keep in mind that they may be just as surprised as you are that their roof had soft spots. Other times it may be they don't have the finances and/or time to have them repaired. It doesn't hurt to try to negotiate for those high ticket repairs/replacements. If the seller declines, you have to make an educated decision as to whether or not it is in your budget to repair/replace if you buy the house.
Have Your Own Inspection Done
Many sellers are supplying a pre-home inspection report at their open house. This is very useful to you as the buyer. No two inspection reports will match line for line, but the major safety issues usually do. With that in mind, you will still want to invest in your own home inspection. You will want an unbiased third-party, someone who is working for you, not the current home owner. Your real estate agent will usually have a few trusted inspectors they work with. With your own report in hand, it is easier to go to the negotiating table if necessary.
In short, your home inspection report is a great tool for helping you make sure you are getting what you are paying for in the home you want to buy. As a new home owner, you need to be familiar with your home. I will review the report with you and educate you on all the important aspects of your home, as well as, share with you how you can maintain a healthy and safe home for your family. I will also provide you with a copy of InterNACHI's, "Now That You've Had A Home Inspection" guide. This helpful resource will ensure that you stay on top of minor maintenance and routine repairs and not have them turn into expensive disasters down the road.
This is my way of saying, "Thank you for using Timberland Home Inspections".
