Another Part of the Home Buying Puzzle: Inspections
You finally found the house you love. We write up all the paper work, discuss all contingencies, the whole kit and caboodle. And here comes the nerve-racking part: the home inspection.
Some homes are sold “as is,” meaning the seller will not make any repairs or give any credit to the buyer if something is found in the inspection. But even here, you want a certified home inspector to go through the home to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong-structural damage, termite damage, leaking pipes or a roof that’s going to cave in on you. That kind of thing. And whether you’re buying “as is” or not, make sure the inspector sends both you and your Realtor a copy of the report as soon as possible so you can work together to figure out what the next steps should be.
We, as Realtors, recommend two or three home inspectors. People we’ve used many times, who are dependable, reputable, who know how to explain things to the buyer without scaring them and most importantly inspectors who know the Philadelphia market and understand the ins and outs of a 150 year old home.
I know a lot of people believe that you should never use a home inspector that your Realtor recommended. They believe those inspectors will not do a good job for you because your Realtor would never recommend someone who might find a problem with the house. We just want to sell a house, get our money and move on. I have to tell you though – that’s not true – at least not for this Realtor. I want my buyers to be happy at the end of the day. I want them to recommend me to their friends. I don’t want them to buy a house with problems and then have them come back to my broker or me.
Here’s the truth: I only recommend inspectors I would use on my own home. I believe a buyer should speak to a few different inspectors; get references if they want to, maybe get a copy or two of their inspection reports. But they shouldn’t hire an inspector just because their friend used him – once.
Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith and trust your Realtor. Some of us actually mean it when we say, “trust me”.
Related Posts:
Part 1 of the Home Buying Process: Mortgages
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