Three Reasons To Always Get a Home Inspection Before Buying
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Believe it or not, there are some people out there in North Texas who buy a home without getting it inspected first. In fact, I have a dear friend who once said to me, “There’s nothing a home inspector could tell me that’s going to stop me from buying a house, so I never bother with it.”
I get that. But that mindset assumes a home inspector is meant to try to talk you out of buying a home. You should want all the knowledge that a home inspector can convey so you can plan for things like when you’re going to need to replace the roof, foundation repairs, HVAC, plumbing, electricity, etc. Or is it better for those things to be fun surprises down the road?
Here are three reasons it’s a good idea to get an inspection:
Water Leaking Into the Foundation
Not only is this drain spout not draining away from the house the way it’s supposed to, it’s setting up water to drain into the form boards, which will cause wood rot and attract termites. It’s also going to drain directly into the tile work and down into the foundation, causing terrible damage over time. Hopefully these new owners will act on this catch by our inspector and do this relatively easy repair before any major damage is done.
Hidden Roof Damage
Unless you walk the roof and really examine things, you might not catch stuff like these loose shingles. A buyer should check with the current owners about their roof warranty to get something like this repaired prior to purchase and see if any damage has already been done inside the roof decking or attic space.
Water Inside the Wall
Here, Inspector Alex found that the bathtub is draining water inside the wall. This could mean plaster or wood rot, mold, or other damage inside the wall, depending on how long it’s been going on. The buyers may want to call in a licensed plumber to access the damage before agreeing to a contract.
Knowledge is power when it comes to buying a home, and the more you have, the more you can plan for your future. It’s not about talking yourself in or out of purchasing the property.
A home inspection can give you new negotiating leverage with the seller. Or you might, in fact, find that there’s way more than you were bargaining for in terms of things that need to be repaired or replaced. You might decide you need to keep shopping. In most cases, you’ll get valuable information about the home you are purchasing that you can bank throughout the time you own it.
