Sam, on the home inspection
Sam Schneiderman, Broker-owner of Greater Boston Home Team continues his Monday series.
Most buyers elect to have a professional home inspector inspect the property that they want to buy. Personally, I always recommend an inspection, especially on new construction.
The purpose of the inspection(s) is to give buyers the opportunity to confirm that the physical aspects of the property are, in fact, as represented and as the buyers expected when the offer was finalized. Sometimes sellers have their property inspected before putting it on the market, but that is rare in the Greater Boston real estate market.
Good inspectors carry carbon monoxide detection equipment, moisture meters and other detection devices. Good inspectors seem to have a sixth sense and are able to point out things as rare as hollow areas under the concrete floor of new construction. (To view a handout about inspections designed for consumers by the state Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation click here.)
Normally, an inspection clause is included in an offer to purchase. Buyers need to realize that their offer contains a deadline that specifies when and how they must notify the seller if they have issues with the inspection. Buyers that ask for concessions also need to notify the seller in such a way that preserves their ability to get their deposit back, or they risk losing their deposit. (If their agent does not do that, their attorney should.)
Sometimes, if a property has a glaring deficiency, like a possible structural or mechanical problem, a buyer will do an inspection before making an offer. That way the offer is based on fact. It’s possible to have limited inspections done to answer specific questions a buyer might have before making an offer, however, the seller needs to agree. For buyers, inspecting a property before an offer is accepted is risky because the property remains on the market and someone else could make an offer before the inspection is complete. In that case, the buyer would have spent the money for the inspection and would never get the chance to buy the property.
Some sellers see the buyer’s inspection as too picky. After all, they may be selling an older home that they’ve been living in for years and never noticed the “defects” pointed out by the inspector (i.e. an aging roof that is cracking but not leaking yet, a furnace that heats the house but is not running right, or a few carpenter ants.)
On the other hand, some buyers and agents see the inspection as an opportunity to try to reduce the purchase price, rather than using the home inspection as an opportunity to confirm that the house is what exactly what was bargained for in the offer.
What do you think the purpose of the inspection is?
How should sellers react to inspection issues?
Should sellers have inspections before listing their home?
What is the biggest stumbling block that our agent and attorney readers see after inspections?
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The purpose of a home inspection is to provide the buyer (when it is the buyer who is contracting the inspector) with a description of the condition of the various systems within the home they are planning to purchase. From this point, it is between the buyer and his or the seller's agent as to how the information is used and the home inspector has no role to play in that process.
if you're a homebuyer, don't ever use a home-inspector recommended by a realtor. Hire your own.
A client whose agent recommends an inspector should call the inspection company to ask specific questions about their company and their inspection process. They should also call other companies to compare answers, and make an informed decision. Agents may suggest an inspector because they have worked with them, find them credible, professional, and work for the client. Agents see many different inspection companies and while you avoid the company they suggest, you might just hire the one who's clients have had poor experiences with. Don't discount the inspector just because the agent gave you his name.
Sam - I find it distressing that you would consider an inspector "good "if he had some testing equipment . BTW the two pieces of equipment that you mention are usless for a home inspector..
I find that the inspectors with the most testing toys usually do the worst job . The toys are merely a distraction to both the client and to the inspector himself. Any body can buy these toys but,there are few inspectors with the ability and experience to properly inspect a building. The only tools ,other than a flashlight , a ladder, binoculars, and a screw driver , that are necessary to perform an inspection are a receptacle tester, a thermometer,and an inductive
voltage tester .
If you have a realtor you don't trust enough to recommend your home-inspector, then you need to get another realtor.
"Toys" or sensitive inspection tools? We utilize many high tech tools to inspect homes. High tech equipment including Infrared Cameras, moisture meters, and Carbon Monoxide detectors help find problems in a house that could otherwise go un-noticed. Without these tools, a leed under a shower pan could be concealed when a seller I would argue that an inspector who does not embrace the higher expectations of a home inspection will soon be out of a job.
Would you bring your car to a old-timer mechanic who doesn't believe in those new fangled computer diagnostic tools?
Philippe - You hit it right on the head but, you missed the point yourself.
There is no new fangled computer diagnostic tool that you can plug into a house . Houses are a complex interactive combination of systems and components that take a lot of figuring out. Give me the old time experienced house mechanic anytime .No toy is going to replace the skill and experience gained from years in the construction field .
I always remember the inspector that came with his new Carbon Monoxide detector , and spent 30 minutes detecting Carbon Monoxide. His meter showed high levels in some areas . When I pointed out to him that the house was all electric, and that there was no posibility of high Carbon Monoxide , his client threw him off the property.
Unless Home Inspectors are required to be certified or licensed how is the Buyer or the Seller suppose to rely on his findings; especially for damage that isn't obvious or is predicted to occur some time in the future? There are a lot of unqualified inspection companies trying to steal the qualified inspectors business by offering flat-rate fees. Use caution!
Another idea: There should be a service similar to CARFAX, but designed for properties. A comprehensive nation-wide database on the inspections, claims, repairs, and reported problems with materials used in construction (like recalls on dangerous electrical breakers or cast iron pipes), permits and receipts too.
I will be putting my home back on the market in spring of 2010. This time I plan on having a home inspection before it goes on the market. If you really wan to sell, this is the easiest way to do it. When a potential buyer comes to see your home, you can disclose any problems and the offer can be made accordingly. I feel that this will become a trend. Those of us who want to sell our home have learned many lessons from this down market. I just want to sell my home. Not play games!!!!
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