A home inspection is a thorough and systematic evaluation of the condition of a residential property. It is a complete physical exam of the general integrity, functionality, and overall safety of a home and its various components. The purpose of this process is to ensure that home buyers know exactly what is being purchased, prior to completing the transaction.
In the course of a home inspection, the inspector will evaluate the foundation, framing, roofing, site drainage, attic, plumbing, heating, electrical system, fireplaces, chimneys, pavement, fences, stairs, decks, patios, doors, windows, walls, ceilings, floors, built-in appliances, and numerous other fixtures and components.
In all homes, even brand new ones, some building defects will inevitably be discovered during the inspection. All pertinent findings will be detailed in a written report for the buyer's reference and review, and the inspector will make a complete verbal presentation of these conditions for those who attend the inspection.
This information enables a home buyer to make educated decisions about a home purchase: whether to complete the transaction, whether to ask the seller to make repairs, or whether to buy the property as is. Buyers can also determine how much repair and renovation will be needed after taking possession, which problems are of major concern, which ones are minor, and what conditions compromise the safety of the premises.
A thorough inspection enables a home buyer to avoid costly surprises after the close of escrow. It is an indispensable component of a well-planned purchase.
Home inspectors are not created equal. As with any profession, some practitioners inevitably outshine others. To aid in choosing a qualified home inspector, interview each prospect, using the following criteria:
Why does my Real Estate Agent harp on getting a home inspection? Do you think this is a needless expense? Think again.
Since the late 1980's, disclosure of property defects has become the primary focus of most residential real estate transactions after first emerging as a service during the mid-1970's. Gaining gradual recognition over the past decades, home inspectors attained prominent acceptance as a distinct and essential profession providing the service of inspecting and disclosing property defects.
To those who approach real estate with the old 'as-is' mind-set, the advantages of home inspection are not immediately apparent. But make no mistake; a thorough inspection can shield you from costly discoveries after the close of escrow. It's one of the best consumer protection services available.
Every home, regardless of age or quality, harbors a small, medium, or large list of defective conditions. Some are obvious, while others are only apparent to those who know how and where to look. When you hire an experienced, qualified home inspector, there is no question as to whether unknown defects will be found; but rather what, where, and how serious, dangerous, or expensive the defects will turn out to be.
Most homebuyers spend fifteen minutes to an hour walking through a home prior to making an offer. At best, this provides a general impression of the overall physical condition. But what about foundations and structural framing, attic construction, insulation, ventilation, and roof conditions? These are just a few of the hundreds of considerations included in a home inspection.
Above all, let's not forget building safety. An inspector can alert you to red flag issues involving the electrical wiring and fixtures, fireplaces and chimneys, gas fixtures such as furnaces, water heaters, cook tops, and ovens, railings at staircases and decks, tempered safety glass in required locations, and automatic reverse of garage door openers.
Furthermore, an inspector can forewarn you of problems involving faulty ground drainage, defective plumbing, substandard construction, firewall compliance, building settlement, leakage, general deterioration, inoperative fixtures, and so much more.
Clearly, your agent understands this process and the importance of equipping you to make an informed purchase decision. Be thankful that your agent is working to protect your financial interests. With a detailed home inspection, you will know what you are buying, before you buy it. And that could save you thousands of dollars and years of regret.
The belief that a new home is flawless, simply because it is new, is an unfortunate piece of popular mythology. Since when is a brand new product exempt from possible defects? We often hear of brand new cars recalled by Detroit; experienced sailors can tell you of brand new boats that have leaked; and even brand new parachutes have been known to fail when the ripcord was pulled. As for new homes, anyone who has worked in building construction knows that contractors and trades people, as typical members of the human family, are prone to occasional, or not-so-occasional, errors and oversights.
Inspectors polled from across the US on new home defects unanimously agree that most, if not all, new homes are not totally free of defects. None have ever discovered a perfect specimen, regardless of the quality of construction or the integrity of the builder.
Even when the builder warrants the work for one full year, such guaranties are of no benefit unless inherent defects are discovered. Unfortunately, many types of building problems and safety violations do not become apparent for many years. A faulty wiring condition might not be revealed until it damages your computer or causes a fire. Other defects might only be discovered when you finally resell the property, and the buyer decides to hire a home inspector.
The list of faulty conditions that have been found in new homes is extensive and includes such items as, defective roof installation, improper fireplace construction, errors in electrical wiring, excessive water pressure, fire safety violations, unsafe venting of heater exhaust, leaking drains, faulty site drainage, hot water piping connected to the toilet (can you imagine a steaming bowl?), etc, etc. In one infamous case, a new home was built and approved on a concrete slab without a perimeter foundation. Obviously, we're not likely to find a major list like this in any particular new home, but every new structure contains a few undisclosed defects, sometimes minor, sometimes not. New homes are often presumed to be exempt from human error, and consequently many close escrow without the benefit of a final examination. For buyers preparing to make such a large investment, assumptions about quality of workmanship can be financially fatal.
Your best advice is to take nothing for granted. The cost of an inspection is incidental when compared to the price of a new home. A qualified home inspector will most assuredly find items that need repair. Better to discover them now than after the close of escrow.
So, you've hired a home inspector to make a complete repair list for the home you're buying. The inspector did a thorough job and disclosed some serious problems with the property. Maybe it was in the plumbing, or the electric wiring. Perhaps it was the roof. But the seller refuses to fix anything. Is the seller responsible to make these repairs? Were you under the impression that the sellers must repair the problems discovered by home inspectors?
This can be all very disillusioning. This is a common misunderstanding about the purpose of a home inspection. People often view an inspection report as a mandatory repair list for the seller. The fact is sellers are not required to produce a flawless house. They have no such obligation by law or by contract.
With a termite report, requirements are different: Real estate contracts usually obligate a seller to repair conditions classified as 'section one' in the termite inspector. Section one includes instances of active infestation -- termites, fungus, dryrot, etc. Other faulty conditions, such as earth to wood contact, generally do not require action on the part of the seller, unless infestation is found.
With a home inspection, most repairs are subject to negotiation between the parties of a sale. Typically, buyers will request that various conditions be repaired before the close of escrow, and sellers will usually acquiesce to some of these demands. But with most building defects, sellers make repairs as a matter of choice, not obligation; to foster good will or to facilitate consummation of the sale. There are, of course, those few rigid sellers who will flatly refuse to fix anything, even at the risk of losing the sale. Fortunately, this response is the exception, rather than the rule.
Sellers maintain the legal right to refuse repair demands, except where requirements are set forth by state law, local ordinance, or the real estate purchase contract. Legal obligations include earthquake straps for water heaters and smoke detectors in specified locations. Contracts usually stipulate that fixtures be in working condition at the close of escrow, that windows not be broken, and that there be no existing leaks in the roof or plumbing.
Before you make any demands of the seller, try to evaluate the inspection report with an eye toward problems of greatest significance. Look for conditions which compromise health and safety or involve active leakage. Most sellers will address problems affecting sensitive areas such as the roof, fireplace, gas burning fixtures, or electrical wiring.
Routine maintenance items warrant a lesser degree of concern and should not be pressed upon the seller. If the house is not brand new, it is unreasonable to boldly insist upon correction of all defects. Such demands can alienate the seller and kill the sale. Your willingness to accept minor problems may persuade a seller to correct conditions of greater substance.
The purpose of a home inspection is not to corner the seller with a repair list. The primary objective is to know what you are buying before you buy it. All homes have defects; it's not possible to acquire one that is perfect. What you want is a working knowledge of significant defects before you close escrow. As the old sea captain once told me: 'It doesn't matter if your boat has a leak, as long as you know it's leaking.'
ASHI (The American Society of Home Inspectors) has established accepted standards of practice and codes of ethics, which define the general scope of a home inspection. These guidelines have come to be the acknowledged standards by which qualified home inspectors perform their services.
According to these criteria, a home inspection is limited to conditions that are visually discernible. Specifically excluded from an inspection are conditions which are concealed from view, such as items contained within walls, ceilings, and floors, or which are buried beneath the ground. According to ASHI standards, inspectors are not required to perform dismantling of construction or excavation of ground surfaces to discover conditions that are not normally visible.
For clarification of the standards by which your inspector performed his services, I recommend that you review the inspection report. Most inspectors are careful to define the scope and limitations of their inspections. These parameters are generally outlined in either the contract or the report or both. Nearly all home inspection contracts clearly specify that concealed items are outside the scope of the inspection. Additionally, most inspection reports specifically identify ASHI standards as the basis upon which the inspection is to be performed.
The home you're buying is scheduled to be inspected. When you get the inspection report, how do you know which problems the seller should fix and which ones to accept as is? Are there some rules or guidelines to determine how this works?
In most cases, a residential sale is contingent upon the buyers' acceptance of the home inspector's report. This means that you, as buyer, have a specified number of days to accept or decline the property in "as is" condition. If you decline acceptance, you have four basic choices:
If you request repairs or a price adjustment, based upon the home inspection report, the sellers also have choices. They can:
The sellers' only obligation is to address defects that are named in the purchase contact or required by state and local laws. If the contract specifies an "as is" sale, the sellers may refuse to make repairs of any kind or to adjust the price in any way. Lawful exceptions may include strapping water heaters for earthquake safety, providing smoke alarms at specified locations, or upgrading plumbing fixtures for water conservation. Aside from such requirements, completion of the sale hinges upon whatever is agreeable between you and the sellers.
Construction defects and safety violations are surprisingly common, but the majority of home inspection findings tend to be routine in nature. Some, in fact, rear their unsightly heads as often as the sun rises; not just in older homes, but often in brand new ones, even before the smell of new paint has waned. The following, therefore, is a list of common defects likely to appear in a typical home inspection report:
An unabridged list of likely home inspection findings would probably fill a few volumes. For home buyers, this underscores the importance of a thorough evaluation prior to closing escrow. This is why your agent will strongly advise you to obtain a Home Inspection.
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