One of the most important aspects of buying a home is to have a home inspection done during the escrow process. There are many things that you may not be able to see on the interior and the exterior of a home that may need repair. There are also many things that you should take into consideration and keep in mind when you do a home inspection. Listed below are a few points to be aware of:
As a general rule, when you hire a home inspector, they will check most aspects of the interior and exterior of a home. They should go into the attic, the garage and also under the home if the home has a crawl space. At the end of the inspection the home inspector should give you a verbal summary and should also supply you with a comprehensive written report of the findings. Do not be intimidated by the repairs that are outlined in the report. No matter how new or how nice a home is, there will typically always be many items found that are in need of repair or in need of some kind of maintenance or upgrade.
Through the years building codes have changed greatly. As a result, there are tens of thousands of homes all over San Diego and throughout the state that are not compliant with today’s standards. However, at the time that these homes were built they adhered to the current building codes of that time. In fact, California has one of the strictest building codes in the nation, so it can be very overwhelming to have a home inspection and be presented with the findings. It is essential that your home inspector does not just identify problems with a home but also properly explains to you possible ways the repairs can be carried out. Most items that are found in a home inspection are easily fixed. I remember when I bought my first home, many years ago, I was overwhelmed by the home inspection report and quite honestly I did not understand most of it. But through the years I have reached a much better level of understanding of general repairs and try to share that information with my clients during the purchase or the sale of a home. So whenever you have a home inspection, make sure you have an opportunity to speak to the inspector to ask any questions you may have about the inspection and the property.
The most common time that people do an inspection is when they are buying a home. But it is also a good idea to do a home inspection if you currently own your home. This way you can learn a lot about your property and its condition. Usually you will find items that are in need of repair that you were not aware of. In addition, you will typically find many safety related items to address or upgrade. It is also common to identify preventative maintenance items that are needed, which often can save you money in the long run by fixing a problem before it gets too big.
In addition to a general home inspection, there are many other types of inspections you can do on a home. A termite inspection is another example of an inspection that can be done, which usually is separate from a general home inspection and specifically focuses on damage to the property caused by termites, wet rot, dry rot and damage caused by other living organisms. In a future article I will cover more information on the many other kinds of inspections you can do. But for now just remember you will always want to do a general home inspection anytime you are buying a property. You will also want to find a professional home inspector who has good experience.
Typically your home is one of your biggest investments so you want to make sure it is in good condition and that it is as safe as possible. By doing a professional home inspection, you can be aware of your home’s condition and maintain it accordingly.
Trent St. Louis is a licensed Real Estate Agent and a member of the National, California and San Diego Association of Realtors. You can reach Trent at SpecialAgentTrent@gmail.com or at his office in Hillcrest, 619-300-1621. The Metropolitan Group (CADRE#01273643).
