When is the best time to get a home inspection?
When is the best time to get a home inspection?
Before buying a home, it’s a good idea to get it inspected. Home inspectors search for defaults or issues with the house to verify its condition before you buy it. Inspectors can find significant issues for example, those relating to pipes, the roof, electric systems, floors, walls, or the foundation.
Sometimes the home seller may attempt to give you an inspection report with details regarding a review they had done themselves. Generally it’s best to not depend on what another person says was done. Having your own home inspection done protects your purchase. It guarantees that there are no nuances in your new home or issues that may come up later.
What to do before getting a home inspection?
Before you have an expert come out for a home inspection here are some things you might want to do:
- Walk through the home and look at everything extensively. Check behind doors, under rugs, and in closets for anything that may be covered up, for example stains, marks, holes, exposed wires, etc.
- Check to see if the appliances work. For example, the stove, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, smoke detectors, etc. Make sure the electrical systems are up to code.
- Talk to the neighbors to get an idea of how much care the current owners took of their home. You can also ask them questions to try and figure out what sort of people the current owners are. This can give you an in-depth understanding in the matter of how this home has been dealt with and what sort of shape it’s in.
Obviously doing these things won’t locate each and every issue with the home because certain issues can go undetected to the untrained eye. However, this can enable you to have some peace of mind over the lack of potential significant issues. If there are extremely clear issues, you might realize that you don’t want to buy the home and in that case it’s not even worth having an inspector come out and look at it.
Would it be advisable for me to get a home inspection before or after making an offer on a home?
Generally, it’s good to get a home inspection before you even make an offer on a home. At any rate you need to get this inspection finished before you close on a home. You’re still able to walk away from purchasing the home if the inspection report brings some serious issues to light.
Look hard. Lots of homes may appear as though they are in immaculate condition to the untrained eye, while, to the eye of a certified home inspector there might be obvious issues. This is why getting a home inspection from a professional is a good thing to do.
Keep in mind, in the event that you decide not to have an inspection done and wind up buying a home that has serious issues with it, then tragically, the issue is yours to deal with. You might not realize how little things can add up, like leaky pipes and clogged vents. Sometimes if these small issues aren’t handled in a timely manner they can turn into serious expenses.
In any case, having a home inspection done before making an offer is the best thing you can do to protect your investment when buying a home. It helps keep both your and the seller’s expectations in check. As long as you get a home inspection done before the closing date, you won’t be on your own with any issues that may exist with the home you are purchasing.
Regardless of whether you are buying, selling or just maintaining your home, Lambert Home Inspections offers proficient and quality inspection services from the minute you call us. For more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
