Buying a home is both exciting and stressful during different stages of the transaction, and today we’ll focus on one of the potentially stressful times for a buyer: the inspection period.
What is the purpose of the home inspection? The inspection is designed to evaluate the current performance of a home’s systems and features. It’s not designed to evaluate cosmetic defects or design issues. Inspections will always find something wrong with the house. The actual report can be overwhelming since most inspectors use a pre-written template that’s often over 70 pages long.
Typically, older homes have more issues, and you need to realize that you’re not purchasing new construction. Existing homes will have some wear and tear, but most of these problems can be remedied. You have the option of hiring a whole house inspector who has a basic knowledge of a home’s many systems or individual, licensed contractors such as electricians, plumbers, roofer, etc., to do the inspections.
After the inspections, you need to choose your battles. In other words, don’t ask the sellers to repair everything in the report. Be realistic, because sending an exhaustive list of repairs to the seller may cause them to become angry and change the entire tone of the deal. Before walking away from a transaction due to an unfavorable inspection, take a deep breath and remind yourself of the bigger picture. This home, although not perfect, may bring you closer to your family, work, or the desired school district that will help your child succeed.
“Existing homes will have some wear and tear, but most of these problems can be remedied.”
The Tami Holmes Real Estate Team assists over 400 families a year during this part of the home sale, and we’d like to help you too. If you have questions about this topic or are thinking of buying a home, feel free to call or email us anytime. We look forward to hearing from you.
