Tips For Buyers: How Do I Use My Home Inspection Report?
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Every week, the detail-oriented folks at Green Scene Home Inspections will give CandysDirt.com readers an education in inspection. Want to see what they see? Tune in for “Upon Closer Inspection.”
At Green Scene Home Inspections, our “motto” is Knowledge is Power: the power to negotiate, the power to plan, and the power to protect your home.
The purpose of a home inspection is so that you can make an informed decision when you’re making such an important investment. So this week, we’re looking at the ways you can utilize your home inspection to negotiate, plan, and protect your home.
Negotiate
These beautiful double-paned, energy-efficient windows are a huge selling point until you realize those smudgy, dirty places on the window are actually inside the panes. The thermal seal has broken on these windows, so they’re not so energy efficient anymore, and you can’t wipe away those smears. After finding this on your inspection report, you might have your Realtor negotiate window replacement into your contract. You could ask that the seller replace the windows before closing, or put cash back into the agreement so you can choose your own windows.
Here’s a closer look:
Plan
In this video, our Inspector noticed some discoloration in the wall and showed a huge reading on his moisture detector. He suspects that the bathtub is draining under the house rather than through the pipes and out to the street like it’s supposed to.
If water is flooding under the house, this could be a big and costly repair. This home buyer will want to consult with a plumber and possibly a foundation expert before moving forward. If the seller isn’t willing to make the repair, the buyer will be able to go forward knowing they’ll have to plan for this expense.
Protect
In this video, our Inspector finds signs of foundation movement and previous repair in the garage. This home buyer will want to get the paperwork from the repair and find out how to transfer the warranty so they can protect their investment.
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Thanks for this Inspection series. Its been a great and useful read.
Window thermal seal failure is common and easy to miss. Great article!
Negotiating, Planning, and Protecting. I agree that those are definitely 3 of the most important things to check on our inspection list.
Good information about home inspection report every one should be kept in mind.
Planning can be much more useful down the road than negotiating can. If you know that something is occurring with your prospective home then you’ll be ready down the road when it’s time to actually invest. You can certainly use it to negotiate, but it today’s market, demand is high and sellers aren’t as willing to drop their price. Thanks for the information.