Your ideal home would likely include a large bedroom for mom and dad, a bedroom for each child, a roomy living room, a well-appointed kitchen, a big backyard, a two-car garage and a neighborhood suitable for family life.
Once you found all that in a house, there is nothing else to think about, right?
Actually, if you’re thinking about buying your dream house, you should consider hiring a home inspector. That way, you can make sure all is what it seems to be.
While no house is perfect, you should learn as much as you can about the condition of the property and all its equipment and systems before buying it. No one wants to purchase a home and discover it has water damage or is in need of roof, heating or electrical repairs.
You especially want to avoid more serious problems such as mold, termites or a cracked foundation. A home inspector can help you do just that.
Where do I begin? Find a qualified professional by word of mouth from friends and neighbors, the American Society of Home Inspectors online database (www.ashi.org), the Yellow Pages directory or your realtor.
Look for an inspector who is a member of the ASHI, a private, voluntary organization that includes a set of standards and a code of ethics in a business that generally has few rules and regulations.
While most states do not require licensing, ASHI standards are higher than requirements of states that do. “The more educated we are as home inspectors, the better we can do for our clients,” said Don Norman, the president of ASHI.
You can search ASHI’s online database to find a home inspector near you who knows the codes and regulations of your state.
The buyer’s real estate agent often recommends the inspector. So you also have to be aware of an inspector who has the real estate agent’s interest in mind over your own when inspecting the home.
Avoid hiring an inspector who offers to repair your home himself: He is only looking for a profit. Barry Stone, writer of a syndicated column about home inspection, “Inspector’s in the House,” recommends that buyers ask a home inspector for a previous inspection report.
When looking at the report, see if it focuses on the house’s defects and not on “boilerplate verbiage,” such as maintenance recommendations and liability disclaimers, which are less important information about the house.
“The best home inspectors disclose defects that less qualified inspectors fail to discover. More disclosure means more negotiation between buyers and sellers, and therefore, more chance that the deal won’t close,” according to Stone. “When deals don’t close, agents don’t make money.”
What does a home inspection entail? A standard home inspection includes an inspection of the general condition of the property’s heating system, central air conditioning system, interior plumbing and electrical systems, roof, attic, insulation in walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, foundation, basement and structural components.
All must be visible and accessible by the inspector at the time of inspection. Home inspectors, said Don Norman, ASHI president, “are limited by what they can see. If they can’t gain access to the attic, they can’t report on the condition of the attic.”
Termite, septic and well and radon inspections might require a specialist.
Also be aware of what an inspector is not required to do, which is tell you if something is adequate or not.
For example, an inspector can’t tell you if the furnace is the right size to heat the house. The inspector only will tell you if it’s working properly at the time of inspection.
“This is where people get confused,” said Norman. “Just because a water heater appears to be operating within normal parameters with no visible leakage or malfunction, that doesn’t mean it can’t start to leak in two weeks. A home inspection is a snapshot in time and not a prediction of future conditions.”
It is normal, though, for a home inspector to identify areas that may need attention in the near future.
Who’s to blame if something goes wrong? There’s no one to blame. If something should go wrong after the inspection, the inspector most likely will not be held accountable because home inspection is a field that is largely unregulated.
That’s why it’s essential that you take the time to check a potential inspector’s level of experience, reputation and qualifications.
Why hire a home inspector? A home inspection is the best way to maximize your knowledge of the property. That way, you can make an intelligent decision before you buy.
“Buying a home without a professional inspection is one of the riskiest gambles any homebuyer could make,” Stone said.
Also, if a home inspector establishes the values and needs of the property, a seller may be swayed to repair some of the conditions or renegotiate the price.
How much does it cost? Expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $700 or more, depending on where you’re purchasing your home.
Whatever you do, avoid price shopping, said Stone. “The best method of price shopping is to shop for quality.”
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