One of the bigger misconceptions about home inspections is that the report you get is a run down of a static structure that’s unchangeable. The truth is that a home – or even an empty lot – is a constantly changing ecosystem. In a house, there are lots of parts behind the scenes that are growing and shrinking, shifting and moving, albeit slowly.
BUYING YOUR NEXT HOME
A home inspection isn’t a projection of the future health of your house. It’s a right now look at the structure and all the moving parts. A home inspection is a snapshot and it can only reflect what the inspector sees during the time they’re at your future address.
This means that year from the time of of your home inspection the furnace may go out, or the roof may succumb to high winds. Your house may changes in ways no one can predict now. But, that doesn’t mean that a home inspection has no value. Home inspection reports look scarier than they really are. Most of the language used to describe issues have simple solutions, but this is not to lessen the blow of any major issues that may be found. All things considered, leave the cosmetic issues at the door and concentrate on the 9 environmental concerns that the seller is subject to address on page 3 of the South Carolina state sales contract. Have a conversation with your Realtor regarding any concerns you may have prior to having the home inspection scheduled, ask questions, come together and set realistic expectations for your inspection so there are no surprises in the end results.
SELLING YOUR HOME
If you are selling your home there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself and your home prior to the inspection period. Before you list your home, make those small repairs you’ve been putting off for the past few months. If you know the faucet drips, go ahead and tighten the valve or replace the hardware itself. If your child’s bedroom needs a new coat of paint or the gutters haven’t been cleaned out since last year, go ahead and take a Saturday to get these things done. Fresh paint makes all the difference when listing your home and simple fixes go a long way with buyers. Another great idea for people selling their homes in today’s market is to go ahead and have a home inspection done for yourself. This is a great way to get in front of any major issues that may catch you by surprise later, and can be a great “extra” when marketing your property. If you are selling a home that’s vacant, make sure you have the utilities cut on prior to the home inspector showing up so he can properly inspect the property.
CLOSING DELAYS
Inspection periods can cause numerous delays, therefore, it is so important to do your homework and hire an experienced agent. It is imperative that your Realtor understand the timelines and deadlines within the inspection period and keep an open communication line between all parties involved with the transaction. Once an offer is accepted, inspections should be ordered right away – some agents like to wait for the appraisal to come back but in today’s market everyone is busy and it make take 2 weeks for that appraisal to come back! By ordering your home inspection the day your offer is accepted, you’re able to stay on track with the contract timeline. If you do spend the money upfront (home inspections are usually $400-$500) and the inspection report is back within a few days of the inspection, you’ve stuck to the timeline with a sense of urgency. This way you’re able to have a look at the inner workings of the home without losing a great deal of money and should be able to get your earnest money back if you need to walk away. When asking for repairs, talk to your mortgage broker and your realtor on what your loan requirements are for said repairs and have your realtor advise you on what to ask for to be repaired.
Both buying and selling a home can be a stressful process, but it does not have to be! Here at Re/Max At The Lake we have a successful team of agents who are local area experts and ready to help you through every step of the home buying or home selling process. Give us a call today to talk with one of our friendly agents on how we can help you accomplish your real estate goals!
