Buying A Home? Why You Should Be Present During The Home Inspection
Posted on: 13 April 2017
No serious person will buy a house without having it inspected first. In fact, you should make it a point to be present during the inspection; here are a few things your presence can accomplish:
Get Issues Explained in Person
If you are present during the inspection, you can get all the issues explained in person, which gives you the opportunity to hear their in-depth discussions instead of waiting to read about them in the report. You will also be able to ask the inspector questions and have them answered in real time. This is particularly beneficial if there are minor issues with the property; the inspector can easily assuage your concerns if you are present. Of course, you should only ask relevant questions and not get in the way of the inspector so that they can do their job properly.
Confirm That All Areas Are Accessible
Being present during the home inspection also gives you the opportunity to confirm that the home inspector can access all the parts of the house. This is particularly true if the house is vacant and the seller isn't nearby. You need to make sure that all the rooms (including the basement) are well lit and all the doors and closets are open. If you don't do that, you may have to do with a half-baked inspection report.
Ensure the Utilities Are Turned On
The home inspection should be done when all the utilities are turned on. That is the only way the inspector will get to know the true conditions of the sewage, plumbing, and electrical systems. Again, this is crucial if the owner isn't available, for example, if the house is being foreclosed and the previous owner has moved.
Draw the Inspector Attention to Specifics
Lastly, it's also a good idea to be present during the inspection so that you can request special attention to specific things you may have a problem with. Walk through the house and perform your own inspection and get the inspector to assuage any fears you may have. For example, the inspector may reassure you that the "cracks" on the walls are just superficial lines on the paint that have no real effect on the property's integrity. If you only notice such things after the inspection, and they weren't mentioned in the report, you may think that the inspection wasn't thorough enough.
Your agent will probably be present during the inspection. Being there will give you the opportunity to talk about any of the issues you may notice while walking through the house or those raised by the inspector.
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