Anyone buying new home should invest in a home inspection – no exception
I mean, you wouldn’t buy a used car without taking a test drive and doing a lot of research OR marry the first person you met on Tinder. Think about it, when you buy a house, you are probably making the biggest purchase of your life after a short 10-15 minute showing with your realtor. Most people spend more time shopping on Amazon than they do making a house purchase decision.
Getting a home inspection before you buy a home can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars and a mountain of headaches! A qualified, unbiased home inspector is worth their weight in gold. You want someone who is:
- Well trained and experienced
- has no emotional attachment to the home
- will provide a truly impartial assessment
You want someone that looks beyond the eye candy (i.e. granite countertops, hardwood floors, crown-molding, stainless steel appliances, etc.) Someone that knows how to find the water damaged walls & ceiling, the mold in the basement or attic, crumbling mortar on the exterior, or the rotting framing around windows. Your qualified home inspector should be checking:
- Roofing
- Building Envelope
- Exterior and Interior Issues
- Structural Issues (foundation, basement and/or crawlspace)
- Heating, cooling and ventilation
- Plumbing (supply and drainage)
- Electrical Systems
- Mold, Radon, Indoor Air Quality at your request
Armed with this data, you can then make an informed decision about your future and decide if the home is worth your investment.
Hiring A Home Inspector
You want an expertly trained home inspector with several years of experience. In our area, Illinois requires Home Inspectors to be licenses and insured. You should make sure that they will provide a documented report after the home inspection which is customized to you. I create my reports using Home Inspector Pro (HIP). You can see a sample report at:
Hold on to that report. It might be helpful when you need to resale.
A typical home inspection of an average single-family home size 1500 – 2500 sq. ft. will take approx. 2-3 hours. During this time, a home inspector can thoroughly inspect your home, provide you with a detailed home inspection report and answer any questions you may have. I always encourage the buyers to attend the inspection and you are welcome to ask any questions you may have.
Finally, remember the key is hiring someone who works for you. Even if your real estate agent recommends a home inspector, do your own research. You want someone who will tell you the truth about a home, even if it means walking away and not buying it. There are good and bad home inspectors just like there are good and bad contractors. It’s your job to do your due diligence and do your research. Even in today’s market, not getting a home inspection before buy is probably one the worst things you can do as a homebuyer. I don’t know too many people who regret getting a home inspection, but I do know plenty who regret not getting one.
Please call our office at (708) 232-8881 if we can help answer any questions or to schedule your home inspection.