The dreaded home inspection

The home inspection is part of almost every purchase and sale agreement. In a hot sellers’ market, some buyers forgo the inspection to make their offers more attractive. It’s a risky move in most instances and should only be used as a tool of last resort.

The home inspection should be performed by a licensed inspector. Your binge-watching HGTV friend does not qualify. While this is a visual inspection, moisture meters and other non-intrusive tools are permitted. The listing agent must be present for the duration. You as the buyer should be there at least for the last fifteen minutes to hear and see for yourself what the inspector has to say. Oh yes, and to pay the bill. The inspection cost for a 2,400 square-foot home runs between $350 and $500.

The inspector usually starts with the roof and siding. Once inside, the inspector methodically examines every room and all the utilities, first and foremost electrical and plumbing. The inspector’s report, anywhere between 40 and 50 pages long, will highlight safety concerns such as a gas leak or a garage door that isn’t fire-rated. It will point out some less critical things that appear in every inspection report. There is always the mention of some vegetation growing too close to the exterior walls.

Keeping the best for last

The last places the inspector visits are the attic and the crawl space. That’s because both of them require protective clothing. You may have lived ten or more years in your home and never seen either place. This is often were trouble lurks. Don’t be surprised when the inspector finds mold in the attic because the loose dryer duct was venting air inside instead of outside of the roof. Don’t be surprised when the inspector finds that vermin are living in the insulation of the crawlspace.

For the rest of the story, and visit my website at: https://reseattles.com/home-inspection-buyer-beware