Buyers: Here's What To Expect At The Inspection
Congratulations! You’ve done it! You found your house, you made a solid offer, and you won the contract.
Photo by Tierra Mallorca
Now, it’s time to really focus on the inspection.
As a buyer, you may have gone through the inspection process before, but it never hurts for a refresher. And if you’re a first time buyer, you definitely need to know what to expect.
1. The inspector is going to go over everything about the house--the roof, the attic, the electric, the plumbing, the windows, the basement, the heating system, and more. Everything. It’s a great opportunity to really get to know the house you’re buying. And it’s a great opportunity to ask questions from a professional.
2. Plan on it taking three hours. Smaller houses may take less time. And houses that are in really good condition tend to take less time. But still, plan on three hours. Maybe even bring a snack!
3. Some of the inspection is outside, and a lot of it is in the basement. Wear appropriate footwear and clothes. Also, it never hurts to bring a flashlight.
4. Write down specific areas of concern beforehand. Even better, talk with your Green Light Real Estate agent, and put a list together. That way you won’t forget what you really wanted to ask.
5. Much of what you’ll hear during the inspection are “problems”. That’s completely normal, inspectors have a tendency to focus on things that aren’t perfect. Don’t freak out!
6. And, when you get your report, usually in 2-3 days, also don’t freak out. The report will have dozens to hundreds of photos, and can be 100 pages long or longer. They’re thorough. But stay calm. There’s rarely anything in the report that you didn’t see at the actual inspection.
7. You’re the only person who gets the report. The seller doesn’t get it.
8. After you have the report, there may be some re-negotiation with the seller. There’s nothing that the seller has to do. But if there are items that came up that were surprises, then it’s common for buyers to ask sellers to make minor repairs or concessions. Remember, that if it’s a hot market, and properties are selling fast, you might have less leverage as a buyer than in a slow market.
9. Sometimes inspectors recommend bringing in additional professionals. Your Green Light Real Estate agent may have already talked with you about this. If the boiler looks really old, then you don’t need an inspector to tell you to have it investigated by a heating contractor.
10. Inspectors won’t usually give estimates for repairs. However, we know from experience what a lot of the more common repairs cost. And we can always get, or help get estimates.
11. If the house doesn’t have any surprises, it’s ok to simply accept it as is, and move forward. There’s no such thing as a perfect house. Just like there’s no perfect car or no perfect job. At Green Light, we’ve been on hundreds of inspections. Something always comes up. But they usually aren’t deal killers.
We’re here to help point out what’s really important, what you can probably live with, and what’s not a big deal at all. Remember, the goal is to get you into the house that you love, and protecting you along the way.
Call 802-225-6425 and speak with any of our awesome agents and brokers
Or email Info@GreenLight-RealEstate.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram or check out our listings on www.GreenLight-RealEstate.com
Can't get enough? We get it, that's why we also made this easy to digest Youtube video on the topic. Enjoy!
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Lindsay Ericson
Hannah Dawson
Lauren Gould