Why You Need a Home Inspection in Northern Utah

You can’t afford to take the risk of not getting a home inspection. The cost of moving into a home with unknown safety issues or structural flaws could end up costing you much more down the road, so it’s key to get an inspection before sealing the deal. Getting a Northern Utah Home Inspection will verify that work was done correctly and can identify any potential deal-breakers. Armed with a home inspection, you have more negotiating power, and your eyes are wide open walking into the home buying process; no nasty surprises later. 

Verify Work Was Done Safely and Correctly.

A home inspector will typically start on the exterior of the home. They’ll be looking for any problems on the outside of your home, like cracks in the foundation and walls.. They’ll also check that everything is intact with their safety equipment before going inside!

A home inspector will check all the systems in the home: plumbing, HVAC, natural gas, electrical, and appliances. They are looking to confirm that there are no hazards, and give you, the buyer, an overall idea of the condition of those systems. Home inspectors do a thorough investigation. They will start the dishwasher, flush the toilet, and check all the outlets and switches. They will make sure that electrical connections are correctly installed, and that there are no obvious leaks in the plumbing.

Your Home Inspection is a Negotiating Tool

Once the inspection is complete, you will receive a written report within 24 hours. That report will detail all of the items the inspector found during the inspection. It is advisable to accompany the inspector during the inspection to ask questions and point out any areas that are of concern to you. Once you have received your report, you can use the items found to begin negotiating for a lower sale price or to include certain items in your list of things that need to be repaired before the closing. 

Your home inspection also provides an opportunity to cancel the contract if an agreement regarding repairs cannot be reached. This is called an inspection contingency, or due diligence. The inspection contingency is an important part of the contract. It gives potential buyers peace of mind that they will be safe in their new home.

You May Identify Deal Breakers

Sometimes, things can look okay to the untrained eye, or may seem like minor issues, when in reality, the cause is much more serious. Some of the things that might be found during a home inspection that might give you a  reason to cancel the contract and search for a different home are listed below.

• A home prone to flooding, or with evidence of prior unrepaired flood damage
• An old roof with curled, missing, and broken shingles 
• A cracked, crumbling, or heaving foundation (indicating unstable ground beneath)
• Poor water pressure, or evidence of leaks around sinks and drains.
• Poor electrical wiring or old wiring that is not safe or up to code
• DIY disasters; Not all DIYers should be doing extensive work on their home. Make sure that additions and remodels were done by a licensed contractor, and permits were pulled.
• Old furnace and HVAC systems may come with hefty repair bills and higher-than-expected utility bills.

All of these items are things that can be fixed as part of the sale agreement. However, if the seller chooses not to repair, any one of the items listed could lead to very large repairs, from a few thousand dollars up to $30,000 or more. If large repairs are not in the budget, or you aren’t interested in trying your hand at DIY, you might want to skip this one.

Insurance Wants a Home Inspection

In addition to all the reasons already mentioned for wanting a home inspection, one of the biggest is insurance. Oftentimes, insurance carriers have pretty specific requirements for the condition of the home. Almost universally, insurance carriers want to verify that the electricity has been recently updated (no old knob and tube allowed), the roof is less than 20 -25 years old, and the furnace has been replaced in the last 25 years, Each company has their own specific lists of what they look for when insuring a home, so it’s a good idea to know what sorts of things will disqualify your home from insurance, before buying it. 

If you purchase a home without understanding what conditions the insurance companies have, you may end up buying a home that you can’t get insurance on, and if you ever have a loss, that could be very costly to you. Typically, the mortgage company won’t even close on the loan if insurance is not in place. 

What Should You Know Before Getting A Home Inspection?

• The home inspection will take approximately 2 – 4 hours.
• The home inspection usually happens during the buyer’s due diligence period
• As the buyer, you can and should attend the inspection so that you can ask questions and see what the inspector sees.
• The home inspector will inspect all areas of the home, and test all the systems.
• When the inspector provides the written report, any problems identified can be included in a list of things the seller needs to repair or replace or can be a reason to cancel the contract.

Every buyer should insist on a home inspection during the buying process. While emotions run high during the searching, bidding, and acceptance process, a level-headed, competent Northern Utah home inspector from Bear River Home Inspections will help you see the big picture, and enter into the contract with a full understanding of the condition of the house, and the repairs needed. Contact Bear River Home Inspections today.