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New Home Inspectors

If you are buying a new home, you should know that it is only a time before you discover that there is something wrong with it. Before you get hysterical, this does not mean your walls will fall down or your roof is going to cave in. This just means that most any new home will have some kind of flaw. Think about it. Homes are made by people and people make mistakes. Sometimes materials that were used in the new home were flawed or less than perfect. It isn’t just newly constructed homes that have a few flaws, either. If you purchase an older home it will probably have a few problems, too.

One way to discover these flaws before you purchase a home is to hire a home inspector. These professionals will come out to inspect a new home -- or older home that you are thinking of purchasing. They know what to look for and will inspect your home from the top to the bottom. If you are in the middle of the buying process you should have it drawn up in your offer that you will only purchase the home after it has been inspected and if you approve of the findings. This will give you an exit in case the home inspector comes up with a major problem that you do not want to tackle in the new home.

If the home inspector brings you a large list of problems with a new home you will have to decide what to do. Can you repair these issues yourself? Do you want them fixed before you agree to purchase the home? You should calculate the costs of the repairs to see what they will cost. Remember, once you purchase a home the problems will become your problems. You can ask that the house be reduced to accommodate you having to repair the problems. However, it will be up to the seller if he wants to do this.

If a major problem is discovered you should be very careful in your decision making. For instance, foundation problems not as easily fixed as other kinds of problems. Fixing a foundation problem can cost a lot of money. Many home buyers will pass on a home if it’s discovered there is a foundation problem.

No one wants to purchase a new home only to discover problems, later. Even little problems will add up. Having the carpet and tile replaced may seem like a small hassle, but when you add in things like replacing cabinets, painting a ceiling from a repaired water leak or replacing gutters it will be very troubling to you. Your new home can easily turn from being a haven to a headache!

People who do not hire a home inspector to come in to look for those small things generally end up regretting it. Spending a few hundred dollars on a home inspector is small potatoes when compared to thousands of dollars worth of repairs that may arise later.

If you find that the home inspector’s report is too full of problems simply back out of the home. (That is why you have it in writing that if you will only purchase the home if you approve of the findings.) While it will probably be a little disheartening to discover that your dream home was really a money pit in disguise, you should really count your blessings that you discovered the problems.

If the home inspector’s report was favorable for your new home, you can relax knowing that a professional has checked out the home and found nothing substantial. This will help to calm your fears about purchasing a new home and take some of the mystery out of it.