Is a home inspection absolutely necessary before buying a home? Yes, and here’s why!
Do I Really Need a Home inspector When Buying a Home?
As a Realtor with over 30 years of experience, I would highly recommend any home buyer to have the home inspected by a licensed home inspector prior to closing. This is not the place to cut corners in order to save a little bit of money. The bottom line is that failure to get a home inspection could end up costing you much more than the cost of an inspection.
Why Do You Need a Home Inspection?
Before making such a large investment, you want to make sure the home is free of flaws. In the event that flaws are found, you can make the decision to either pass up on the house or accept these flaws and continue with the purchase.
Can’t Your Realtor Tell You Whether or Not the Home is Sound?
As a Realtor, I legally cannot give you any advice as to whether or not the home has flaws. This is not within the scope of my license, and I could, in fact, get in serious trouble with the licensing board if I give out advice as to the soundness of a home.
Realtors, including myself, are also not allowed to write up any blank addendums with legal language. The reason is that this is considered practicing law, which I am not allowed to do. This is why you need a licensed home inspector to give you sound, legal advice as to the condition of the home or one of its components.
What Should You Do If a Home Inspector Finds a Flaw?
Let’s say the home inspector flags an area of the home during the inspection, and let’s say it is the roof. It is best to get a final opinion from a licensed roofer. A licensed roofer can tell you the extent of the issue and give you an estimate for the cost of repair.
Home Inspection Statistics
According to Florida Realtors, in a survey conducted by the Florida Association of Realtors, 86 percent of home inspectors find at least one problem during a home inspection.
The most common problems detected are:
- Roofing – 19.7%
- Electrical – 18.7%
- Windows – 18.4%
- Gutters – 16.9%
- Plumbing – 13.6%
- Branches Over the Roof – 13.3%
- Fencing: 12.6%
- Water Heater: 12.2%
- Driveways, sidewalks, patios and/or entrance landing: 11.9%
- Air Conditioning: 9.9%
- Exterior Paint: 9.6%
- Foundation issues/cracks: 8.9%
- Downspouts: 8.9%
- Property Grading of Grounds: 8.8%
- Moisture: 8.5%
The moral of the story is you will not save money in the long run by opting out of a home inspection. This is an inspection that you certainly should not conduct yourself because you’ve closed on the home whatever problems there may be are now yours to contend with. When it comes time to buy your next home, give me a call and I will help you navigate through the maze of buying a new home.
