Buyer Inspections

Inspections are highly recommended when buying any property. While it is true that inspections are optional, the great upside here is that spending a few hours at good property inspection will normally give you a good, in-depth look at the true condition of the property. This is invaluable for giving Buyers confidence in knowing thoroughly the condition of the house or property they are trying to buy. Many important questions are answered: is the house in good shape, or does it need repairs? Are all the critical systems working properly, or are upgrades needed? Is there something about the property that would give a Buyer second thoughts about going through with the sale? Are there any conditions which would cause an enormous burden further down the road? Is there a condition which would warrant a renegotiation of the price?

Your Realtor can guide you on where to find good home inspectors. After that, it will be up to you to interview them and hire the one(s) you wish to do the job. Buyers are advised to hire professional inspectors who are qualified and experienced at doing home inspections.

The purposes of inspections include:

1. Disclose information. You should attend the inspections if at all possible. You will find out a load of valuable information about the house you are buying.

2. Disclose hidden safety issues. Inspections may reveal if there are safety issues with the property not immediately apparent to the unskilled eye. The integrity and condition of the critical systems of the house (eg. furnace, electrical, plumbing) are very important to the well-being of you and your family.

3. Disclose hidden long-term problems. Inspections may reveal problems with the property even the owners were unaware of that could turn out to be very expensive for buyers later on.

What to expect with your inspections

• -Expect to become much more informed about the house you are buying. A good professional inspector will go over the entire house with you, including the condition of the critical systems, and may suggest how to maintain them in the future.

• -Expect a list of small problems. Remember, very few houses are perfect. Inspectors will typically come up with a whole page of problems in even the best-maintained houses. Buyers should not be alarmed at this. What the buyer does need to discover is if there are any major difficulties with the property and deal firmly with these.