A home inspection is all part of selling property and it’s one of the most nerve-wracking experiences sellers go through. You’re worrying about whether or not your home is going to pass with flying colors or if there are problems you weren’t even aware of! Seller’s aren’t the only ones who are biting their nails when the home inspector comes around – buyer’s are just as nervous.
A house may look incredible inside and out, but you do not want to skip the home inspection – even if the seller is anticipating a quick sale. Here are five risks of skipping the home inspection process that you don’t want to ignore.
1. Safety concerns
One of the biggest reasons a home inspection is necessary is to make sure the house is safe to live in. Inspectors are on the lookout for any hazards that could affect the health and safety of anyone living in the home. Some of the things they’ll look at include the home’s structural integrity, look for mold or evidence of mold, and they’re checking to make sure carbon monoxide/smoke detectors are where they should be.
2. Illegal additions
Whether you’re adding a new addition to your home, changing the layout, or even adding a deck, you’ll need a permit and the project must be up to code. A home inspector will check to make sure everything is up to code and was done with a permit. If the work was done illegally or isn’t up to code, it’ll affect the taxes, insurance, and value of the home. Should a buyer skip the inspection, they will be responsible to fix the issues, which could be a huge financial burden.
3. Negotiation power
It’s rare that a home inspection passes without any problems. Sometimes the issues can be small enough that buyer’s won’t mind fixing on their own and they could use that in negotiations. The buyer could negotiate a lower price to compensate for the repairs or ask the seller to do the repairs before the transaction proceeds further.
4. Find an “out”
Most contracts will include a home inspection clause which states that the buyer could back out of the deal if the house fails inspection. Some of the most common problems that buyers consider a deal breaker include:
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Electrical problems/bad wiring
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Cracked foundation that’ll need extensive repair
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A roof that needs to be replaced
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The HVAC unit doesn’t work properly
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…and so on.
5. Secure insurance quickly
Home insurance companies aren’t likely to insure a home if it hasn’t passed a home inspection. They don’t want to cover a house that will need extensive repairs that could rear their ugly heads in the near future. Also, it’s important to use a certified home inspector to go through your house, otherwise the insurance company isn’t likely to honor the inspection results.
Home inspections should not be overlooked
As a buyer, you need to cover all of your bases so that you know the property that you’re buying is safe to live in and won’t have any problems in the future. You don’t want to be pressured into skipping the inspection because if there are problems, you’ll be the one who’ll have to make those repairs.
It’s in your best interest to make sure that the home you’re buying has a home inspection and there’s a clause in your contract that’ll give you an out if there are problems!