Home Inspections – You Don’t Have to Attend but You Should

Buying a new home is exhilarating, especially if you’re a first time home buyer. Once you’ve found the perfect home and your bid has been excepted, that excitement increases. Most buyers just can’t wait to get the whole process over with so they can move in and start making it their own. However, buying a home is a major purchase. It’s important not to be too hasty and overlook any important steps in the process. Although they aren’t required, home inspections are one of the most important steps to buying a home.

Why Are Home Inspections Important?

Home inspections involve the visual examination of the home’s physical structure and its systems from the foundation to the roof. A typical home inspection will include evaluating and reporting on the condition of the following items: 

• The home’s HVAC system 
• The interior plumbing and electrical systems
• The roof, attic, and visible insulation
• The walls, ceilings, floors, windows, and doors
• The foundation, basement, and structural components

Any structural or system issues that are discovered during the home inspection will be documented on the inspector’s report. This will make buyers aware of any repairs that may be needed. They can then use this information in a couple of ways. They can either renegotiate with the seller before moving forward or if the issues significantly impact the home’s integrity, the buyers may choose to back out of the sale.  

Should Buyers Be Present for Home Inspections?

While it isn’t mandatory, it is always in the buyer’s best interest to be present during the inspection for a few different reasons.

Ensure a thorough inspection. In most cases, a reputable home inspector will conduct a thorough inspection, whether you are present or not. Still, unless the inspector was a trusted referral, how can the buyer be sure? The buyer pays for the home inspection out of their own pocket, typically about a few hundred dollars. Being present helps ensure that they receive the thorough home inspection they paid for. 

The opportunity to ask questions.  After they’ve completed the inspection, the inspector writes a detailed report including any issues they discovered. While accompanying them through each part of the inspection, buyers are able to ask questions and have the inspector explain in detail any issues they find. Buyers will also have the benefit of seeing exactly where and what the issue is rather than trying to locate and understand it from simply reading the report. Also having a solid understanding of any serious issues can provide the buyer with a little extra leverage if renegotiation is necessary.

Become familiar with the home. Once the home is purchase, the buyer is responsible for its care and maintenance. This requires being aware of where certain things are located such as the electrical panel and water shut-off valves. If you doubt the importance of being familiar with where these items are, imagine not being able to find the shut-off valve if you experience a plumbing leak. The damage done in the time it would take for a plumber to get there could be devastating. Being able to turn the water off quickly will potentially help reduce that costly water damage.

Work with Real Estate Experts

From home inspections and appraisals to surveys and closing paperwork, there’s a lot to keep track of when purchasing a new home. As exciting as it is, it can also be a little overwhelming. An experienced real estate professional can guide you through the process, including recommending a reputable home inspector.

When considering buying a home in one of the many beautiful communities on LBI, NJ, the Freeman Group is the real estate agency to choose. Our team has over 24 years of experience working with a wide variety of clients from individual homeowners to developers and investors. They trust us to guide them the entire process of their most important transactions and lucrative investments. We don’t take this trust lightly and provide every client with the highest level of professionalism and personalized service. Contact us today for all your LBI real estate needs.