Are you buying a home?
Congratulations!
But are you getting your home inspected before closing the deal?
If not, then you must consider doing it. A home inspection might reveal a few defects (minor and major), and you can ask the seller to get them fixed.
If the property had a significant issue, a home inspection could act as a deal-breaker.
Well, if you’re buying a house, then read on to learn five home inspection tips that must be followed:
In Georgia, home buyers are advised to get the home inspection done before they close the deal.
It’s crucial to understand what is and isn’t included in any home inspection. You must also be aware of the options for moving forward once the inspection is completed.
Learn How a Home Inspection Works
When you decide to go ahead with a home inspection in Austell or any other city, you must first learn how it works.
Make sure you hire a reliable home inspector who has at least 2 years of experience in conducting inspections.
As a buyer, you pay for the inspection and can even attend it in person.
A standard inspection evaluates the condition of the home’s structure, exterior and interior, foundation, walls, ceilings, roofs, even plumbing and electrical systems.
Moreover, you may also ask them to perform additional inspections for the presence of radon or pests.
At the end of the inspection, the inspector will provide you with a report that will include his/her detailed description and photos of any defect.
Easy Fixes that you can Make Yourself
A home inspector rarely finds a home without defects. But in case this happens, you can question the thoroughness of the inspection done by the inspector.
Identifying a few problems in a house doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy it. But it means that you may need to address a few of them down the road.
Let’s list down some issues that can be handled by you after moving in:
- Touch-up issues: there can be some touching up paint or restaining a wood floor job. All these issues can be easily carried out as per your convenience when you move in.
- Broken sockets or switches: you might feel it’s a big deal, but it’s not. Unless the inspector says that it’s the result of a major electrical problem, it’s an easy fix for you.
- Outside structures: In the competitive market, garages and sheds aren’ t usually fixed by a seller.
When should you Negotiate for Fixes?
In case you’re short on money or think that you can’t handle the future repair work, you have two options to remedy the defects in the house.
- Either ask the seller to fix them at their expense, or
- Negotiate with the seller and ask them to lower the selling price.
When you request the seller to make repairs, it’s essential to pick your battles as the seller may not agree to do so. You can reserve your requests for some major mechanical or structural defects.
Note: Do discuss it with your realtor and seek their advice in deciding which repairs to ask a seller to make.
Common defects that a seller may fix are as follows:
- Unsafe electrical defects
- A Leaking roof
- Any significant plumbing issues
- Drainage or water problems
- Elevated radon levels
When should you Negotiate for the Repair Money?
In some instances, you can ask for cash-back credit at closing, which means the seller of the house will provide money that you can use to complete the repairs.
However, depending on the number and types of defects/repairs, the seller might also lower the selling price of the property.
Although the two situations might seem similar money-wise, they will have different implications on your mortgage.
It’s up to you to decide whether you want to take cash-back credit or lower the selling price.
Bottom Line
The last and most important tip is to connect with an experienced local agent for support and guidance throughout the process. They might help you with all your doubts and queries.
Since most of them are well aware of the ins and outs of the inspection process, they can help in determining what repairs must be asked to fix from the sellers and what can be easily handled by you.
Hope you crack a great deal!
