Home inspection is a very significant part of purchasing a home, or selling one, as it is the last chance for the buyer to discover hidden problems that a normal person may not, which only a trained and experienced professional will be able to point out. For the seller’s side, it is their last chance to fix what is broken, whether they are aware of it or not and negotiate the price with the buyer.
If you’re looking to buy a house or in the process of selling one at the moment, please take time to read through this article as we present here what to expect come inspection day. Know the things that the home inspector will likely look at and how you should address the issues that he will point out in the process.
What to Expect During Home Inspection
Know that as a buyer, this is your last chance to uncover potential problems before sealing the deal and letting go of your hard earned money for a very important investment. If you are the seller, you should also know what the home inspector may potentially point out so you can prepare for what may come and help you keep everything going smoothly as possible.
A home inspector, at the end of the day, will provide a report on the following parts of the house: it’s foundation, structural components, HVAC, the plumbing, electrical systems, and the roof.
The process usually takes two to four hours, but it depends largely on the size of the house. Don’t expect to get the report right there and then, it may take a few days for the home inspector to finalize and send the report out.
In order to relate to the report that will be in your hands after the said day of the home inspection, the buyer should be present during the inspection and also so that they can explore their future house in detail and ask questions during the process.
As a seller, please don’t be bothered too much by the amount of defects that will be included in the report. Usually, they are just minor issues; some so minor that you won’t need to fix them. More than that, take a close look at how severe the issues that were pointed out. Some issues might be enough to break the deal. If the situation comes to this, it would be best to talk to your home inspector and your real estate agent to plan the best way to move forward.
Home Inspectors Will Most Likely Look For…
The American Society of Home Inspectors, better known as ASHI, has provided a list of what home inspectors are required to review for a home inspection. It goes as follows:
Interior plumbing and electrical systems
Basement
Ceilings
Foundation
Heating system
Walls
Windows and doors
Floors
Attic, including visible insulation
Central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
Structural components
Roof
It is important to note that the home inspector will need to get as much access as possible so they can provide a complete final report. Of course, they will not tear the home apart, but it would be good to keep in mind that they will need to see most parts, the nooks and crannies, if not all, as it is their job to be thorough when it comes to ensuring that the home is in its best state for its future residents, or that the seller will get the best offer for the property that they are letting go.
The Home Sellers Side of the Process
The sellers main responsibility during the home inspection is to make sure to provide quick and easy access to everything, especially those that are in the ASHI checklist. Therefore, be helpful as much as possible.
Leave the keys to all important access points, doors and electrical panels, and let the inspector know where they can find them.
Turn on the pilot lights for furnaces and fireplaces so that the home inspector will be able to check the heating and other related appliances.
Make sure that there are paths to everything that needs inspecting such as the furnace, HVAC unit, water heater, and the basement. The basement, yes, tidy it up, and the attic too.
The home inspector will also be looking at crawl space, the septic tank, and the drainage system, so clean up the yard too, especially access points.
Reconnect all the utilities that have been shut off since the home was vacated.
For the buyer and the seller, it is important to know about the home inspection checklist. A normal person may miss out on some parts as they explore the house passively, even if it’s not their first time looking at it. For the seller’s part, they can be in-the-know of what to expect during the home inspection so they can sort out issues in advance.
There is no such thing as a perfect home, or that it is very rare to find a blemish-free home inspection report. Issues can be negotiated in order to have the best price for the property after home inspection. If you are a seller, you can look at the small problems that can be easily fixed so that you can minimize the list of defects that the home inspector might point out and get the best deal out of your venture.
Buying a house is not a walk in the park as it is your future that is on the line. Knowing what to expect, or what to keep an eye on, will help you ensure a better life in a home you are about to buy. It goes unspoken, of course, that you should get a home inspector that you can trust and has a reputation when it comes to being a good partner of the Alaska real estate market.
DMD Home Inspector offers its services to help agents, sellers, and buyers get the most reasonable experience, gains, and advantages in the process of purchasing or selling a home.