A Home is the most expensive purchase that most people will ever make. Once the ideal home has been found, it is important to ensure that the attraction is more than skin deep. In other words, the home needs to be inspected. Attending an open-house and walking through the property will only determine surface suitability. In order to determine that no structural, drainage/water, heating, electrical, plumbing or other problems exist, you need to engage the services of a home inspector. Some states require licensing for home inspectors and others do not. Home inspection is not an exact science, so licensing or not, try to check references.

The home inspector cannot charge in and start to tear out ceilings, walls and fixtures to inspect the plumbing or electrical wiring but they do have training to detect the signs of water damage, mildew, faulty electrical connections, roofing problems and construction or renovation work that does not meet local building codes specifications.

As a buyer, you should make every effort to be present for the home inspection. For one thing, houses do not generally come with an owner’s manual (even for new construction) and this is an ideal time to learn about the home even if there are no major problems. Not only will you know where the shuttoff valves, access and breaker panels etc are located but the inspector will typically explain how things work if you just ask them. The inspector can show you how to drain the boiler, change filters, shuttoff utilities e.tc. Consider this an introductory training session on your new purchase. The home inspector can also alert you to other inspections that he may think you should do such as a termite inspection or Radon emission testing (a colorless, odorless gas that can build up in basements).

While a buyer should absolutely get a home inspection even when buying a property “as is”, to be certain that they know exactly what they are buying, sellers should also consider using a home inspection service before putting their home on the market.  Problems can be identified and addressed before they become closing “deal breakers” and the security of knowing that there are no major problems strengthens the basis for the asking price.

Related Articles:

A basic home inspection checklist

Resources:

·          American Society of Home Inspectors Inc.

Ø       Website: http://www.ashi.com

Ø       Phone:    800-743-ASHI (743-2744).

·          National Association of Certified Home Inspectors.

Ø       Website: http://www.nachi.org

Ø       Phone:    800-448-3942.