10 min read
Buying a home is one of life's biggest purchases. From securing a mortgage to finding the right property and making an offer, the process is full of new experiences and challenges for first-time buyers and seasoned homeowners alike.
Selling has just as many obstacles - preparing the home, negotiating offers, and moving out of a place you once called home. One thing both buyers and sellers benefit from is a home inspection.
This roundup collects advice from home inspectors and pest professionals across the country, including our own contribution. Each tip is attributed to the person who gave it.
Tip #1: Find out what to expect from your inspector
Have a conversation with your inspector before you choose. Find out their availability for questions or concerns after you receive your report. Buying a home without an inspection is like going to court without an attorney - you get what you pay for.
- Lee Dunn, Dunn Inspection Services, Houston, TX
Tip #2: Always get an inspection, no matter the market
This is not a normal market, so whatever you do, don't forgo the inspection. No one should line up to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next 15 to 30 years without knowing the condition of what they are buying. You are making an investment, and the inspection is the most important part of due diligence. The market will change, and you don't want to be stuck in a home you can't sell or can't afford to repair.
- John P. Freudenberg, Silk Inspections LLC, Fayetteville and Aberdeen, NC
Tip #3: Don't skip the termite inspection
Termites cause $5 billion in damage annually in the US. Inspections are key to making sure there is no large-scale damage or expensive repair waiting as a surprise. Many inspectors also look for other wood-destroying organisms such as carpenter ants, carpenter bees and wood-boring beetles.
- Dr. Nancy Troyano, Board Certified Entomologist, Rentokil
Tip #4: Termites hide even in the least likely homes
We always recommend a termite inspection. Even if a house is constructed of concrete block, there is still a possibility of termites in roof systems and furniture.
- Billings Home Inspections, South Florida and Palm Beach, FL
Tip #5: Ask for a termite treatment and repair warranty
When buying a house, always get a wood-destroying organism inspection - also known as a clearance letter or termite letter. Better still, ask for a termite treatment and repair warranty. Even thorough inspections are limited, because termites usually stay hidden until the damage is done.
- Patrick Carter, Healthy Home Termite & Pest Control, Atlanta, GA
Tip #6: Don't pass on a pest inspection either
It is vital to complete a professional pest inspection before closing. A licensed pest pro can find hard-to-spot symptoms - excessive moisture, cracked or damaged wood, rodent droppings, poorly sealed windows and doors - before they become costly. Most buyers don't realize mice can fit through an opening the size of a dime.
- Trent Ragar, Natural State Pest Control, Lowell, AR
Tip #7: An inspection tells you more than meets the eye
New paint, new countertops and new floors make for a pretty home. They tell you nothing about the bones and history of it. Getting under the house, going into the attic, digging into the electrical, HVAC and plumbing paints a picture of the home's history. This is the largest investment of your life - don't skip an inspection that usually costs less than a quarter of one percent of the sale price.
- Clint Conway, Conway Inspections LLC, Dallas and Fort Worth, TX
Tip #8: Watch for signs of roof leaks
Roof leaks don't typically come from a failure of the roof covering. They usually come from penetrations - chimneys, pipe stacks, satellite dish installations - that were not flashed properly. Your inspector will look for signs of water penetration in the attic around those key areas.
- Dave Riegel, Mississippi's Best Home Inspections, Jackson, MS
Tip #9: An inspection can save you money later
A home inspection is crucial, especially in a fast-moving market. It can save you potentially thousands of dollars in repairs.
- Dynamic Home Inspections, Tampa, FL
Tip #10: Sellers, schedule a pre-listing inspection
One benefit of a pre-listing inspection is knowing, before the house goes up for sale, what might need to be done. If there is deferred maintenance, getting termite or dry rot repairs handled makes the property look better and more desirable.
- C. A. Luce Termite Control, Escondido, CA
Tip #11: Cover all your bases, from scheduling to reading the report
Account for three to five days minimum lead time when scheduling, especially in warmer months when demand is highest. When you receive your report, read it front to back - disclaimers, findings, recommendations and any notes from your inspector - so you understand the scope and the limitations. Discrepancies between a listing report and a buyer's report are not uncommon, so make sure your report includes photos to verify findings. When buying a home with recent renovations, find out whether the party who did the work was licensed, whether they pulled permits for the larger repairs, and what their warranty includes and excludes.
- TAPS Termite Inc, San Jose, CA
Tip #12: Make sure the hard-to-reach areas are covered
Make sure the inspection is thorough and covers all accessible areas. If an area that needs inspecting isn't accessible, buyers should require the seller to provide an opening or access point before signing off on the inspection contingency. I have seen many cases where part of a home was missed during the initial purchase inspection.
For homeowners thinking about selling in the future, don't wait until the last minute to find out what is going on in and around your home. Bottom line: whether buying or selling, know the condition of the property, the repairs it needs or will soon need, and whether the home is built in a way that allows future repairs and inspections to be done easily.
- Scout Pest Control, Huntsville, AL
Tip #13: Don't forget the gutters
With everything else going on, it would be easy to overlook something as minor as gutters. Sure, they catch rain and funnel it away - but are they really a big deal?
Yes. Professionally installed gutters are one of the most important preventative maintenance steps you can take to extend the useful life of a home. Their primary job is to move moisture away from the foundation. Over time every home settles; the best case is that it settles evenly. Properly installed gutters push draining water away from the foundation, where it would otherwise cause uneven settlement. Aside from roof replacement, foundation repair is one of the most costly repairs a home can need.
Other benefits include preventing staining on the sides of the house and damage to surrounding landscaping. The one drawback is minor routine maintenance - clearing leaves and pine needles so water moves freely. Coupled with proper grading, your foundation is then equipped to perform as intended.
- Garland Gay, Avid Home Inspection, Humble, TX
From learning the condition of the home you are purchasing to identifying repairs that could cost you a sale, inspections benefit buyers and sellers both. Keeping these tips in mind when it comes time to buy or sell can take a good deal of stress out of the process.
If you are buying or selling in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie or northern Broward County, call Billings Home Inspections at 561-644-0279.