Inspector's Blog → Things You Should Know About Inspection
If you are considering buying a home and going to get the home inspection done thoroughly by a qualified professional, you must take into consideration various elements. These things are very common, but are worth the consideration.
Recommendation of the Home Inspectors by the Seller’s Agent
If you do not have a signed contract that the real estate agents are representing you as a buyer’s agent, it is very much likely that they are working for the seller. Their fiduciary responsibility is to maximize the profit for the seller. Therefore, when a seller’s agent recommends a home inspection service for you, you must hear the bell loud and clear. Since, they are the seller’s agent and are working for the seller, it may not be in your best interest to take their recommendation at face value. Moreover, you should also keep in mind that in various states, it is officially unlawful for the seller’s agents to recommend home inspection services for the buyer. You should hire the home inspector yourself. Always look for a home inspector who is able to demonstrate education, experience, and professional affiliation.
Pricing
Never go by the price of an inspection. You get what you pay for. Therefore, if you pay less, the home inspector may not perform the home inspection whole heartedly and thoroughly. This way, they may also skip some of the major defects associated with the home. And, if that happens, this is something you will have to pay for in future after you have purchased the home. However, in no way it does mean that you should always pay a high amount to the home inspectors. You should look into all the details such as their qualifications, experience etc. This way, you will be in a much better position to judge if the price you are paying for the home inspection is worth its value.
Inspection of Septic systems
Septic systems are generally not considered as a part of a home inspection. But, you must keep in mind that this is a major cost component of the house and it is very important for you to get it inspected prior to purchase. These inspections are for the protection of the environment. Depending on a number of factors, the average life of a septic system is around thirty years. If you include the septic systems into the home inspection, you will get to know if the septic system was not pumped regularly, if a garbage disposal was used, if fine grained soils exist in the area, life expectancy can be shortened.
Overall, home inspection is important, but in order to ensure a successful inspection, you must consider an aware and objective home inspection for yourself.