"Should I get a home inspection?" 13 Excuses From Remorseful Buyers For Not Getting a Home Inspection

Once or twice a month someone calls, emails or messages me with a home buying horror story. Of those horror stories perhaps the most common refrain is, "We should've got a whole home inspection." Here are the 10 most common excuses I get from homebuyers that didn't get inspections: 

1. "My agent said I didn't need an inspection."

2.  "I didn't want to spend the money."

3. "We had a bad experience on a prior home inspection."

4.  "My dad worked construction - he said the house was good."

5. "We hoped this home would be better than our last one."

6.  "Everything happened so fast. We ran out of time."

7.  "The sellers said the home had no problems, and we believed them."

8. "It was a newer home, so we thought it would be fine."

9. "We thought we'd buy this home regardless of what was found."

10. "No one told me I should have an inspection."

11. "We thought the appraisal and termite inspection was enough."

12. "Our bank didn't require it, so we didn't get one."

13. "We assumed any problems would be covered by our home warranty."

Recently I conducted an inspection for a buyer that was experienced with home improvements and had another knowledgeable tradesperson walk through the property with him to evaluate it before making an offer. He was relatively sure he had a good grasp of its condition, but as a matter of diligence he thought he'd better check with some inspectors on pricing and services, just to cover his bases. The buyer contacted me and decided through the course of our conversation to have me do an inspection. I did the inspection and discovered numerous problems that he wouldn't have known about until after the purchase, including but not limited to: a) mold / condensation problems; b) hidden / concealed roof leaks; c) a missing flue cap; d) outlets wired in reverse; e) windows that had been sealed shut; f) openings in the sewer system; g) foundation wall movement, and; h) evidence of past termite problems. My inspection made the buyer aware of some serious problems he wouldn't have known about, which will help him re-evaluate his offer / investment, and more importantly, protect the health and safety of him, his family, and other visitors or occupants of the home. The problems I found at this home weren't exceptional relative to other similar houses - they were typical, but people that don't get inspections take exceptional risks.

Not too long ago a friend of mine purchased a home while going through a divorce. She hired a real estate agent believing the agent would look out for her best interests. The agent discouraged my friend from getting an inspection.  Dealing with the stresses of an ongoing divorce, work, kids, life, and moving, and trusting the expertise and advice of the agent, my friend bought the house without having an inspection done. Soon after the purchase my friend discovered things she believed the agent should've noticed, or that a home inspector would've found had not the agent discouraged her from getting an inspection. The problems included: a) an inoperable patio door; b) birds living in the wall; c) faulty garage door opener; d) broken faucets at sink and shower, and; e) missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. None of the problems were covered by warranty, though it is likely all of them would've been discovered via a home inspection, and likely repaired at seller expense prior to the purchase.

I've never had a client say a home inspection wasn't worth the money, but I've had lots of non-clients say not having an inspection wasn't worth the money saved.

To be objective, some people waive inspections without remorse. A home seller once told me, "I'd never hire an inspector. No offense, but I know more about homes than any home inspector." I was inspecting the personal residence he was selling to my client, which revealed the only thing that rivaled his vanity was his incompetence. 

In the realty biz they always say, "location, location, location," but what I'm here to tell you is the most important phrase you should consider when purchasing a home is "buyer beware!"

So if you ask me "Should I have a home inspection?" The answer is "Absolutely."