What To Expect From A Home Inspection?

CONGRATULATIONS on your decision to purchase a home!  As you consider which home is right for you and your family and prepare to make an offer to purchase, please take into account the following recommendations which may protect you in making this important investment.

ü  Do engage a professional home inspector to evaluate the home you have chosen, even if you have decided to purchase a brand-new house, so that you are aware of any construction defects or home repairs which may be needed prior to your purchase or in the short term.

ü  Do have the septic system inspected so that you know its condition and its expected life.  If the property is served by a well, have that system tested as to the quantity and quality of water available.

I also recommend that you:

ü  Consider whether you need roofing or siding inspector to evaluate the roofing or siding material and give you an opinion as to the quality of the material and its expected life.  If you are concerned about possible asbestos on the property, please also consider an evaluation of that risk

ü  Decide if you need a structural engineer to inspect the internal structure of your desired home, particularly if the home has bowed stairs or doorframes or cracks in ceilings or walls or if the property has retaining walls or signs of erosion.

ü  Consider having sewer lines scoped or plumbing checked by a professional to determine if the plumbing or wastewater pipes are intact and functioning.

ü  Determine if an electrician should look at the wiring to be sure that wiring is safe and up to the applicable building code.

ü  Hire a professional to search for an old underground storage tank to ensure that any such tank is decommissioned and environmental harm has not occurred to the property.

ü  Decide if you want wood stoves, fireplaces or heating and cooling systems inspected to ensure that all are in good condition and to be aware of their useful lives.

ü  Engage a professional to do a pest and dry rot inspection to make sure, not only that there are no wood-boring insects or rotten floor joists, but no ants or other pests that will affect your enjoyment of your new home.

ü  Consider a mold and mildew or, perhaps, a radon inspection to insure that old and even repaired leaks or other problems have not left their marks on the property or that your home is not in need of radon mitigation.  This is especially important if you or someone in your family has allergies, asthma or other breathing difficulties.

ü  Ask for copies of homeowner’s association minutes and financial statements in order to find out if there are maintenance or repair issues or whether assessments against the property are pending.

ü  Consider a crawl space inspection In recent years, the water table has been higher than normal, and therefore having a sump pump installed and proper ventilation can help alleviate more serious problem down the line.

Please discuss with me any concerns you have related to these recommendations.  If you do not know of an inspector or other professional, I would be glad to provide you with the names of firms I, my colleagues and my clients have used in the past.  Also consider asking friends and relatives for the names of firms they have successfully used.   In any event, in selecting an inspector or other professional, always interview several firms and select the inspector or other professional that you are most comfortable with.

My goal in providing you with this information is to provide you with enough information that you can make an informed decision about whether to proceed with your home purchase.  Remember, an inspection can only give you more information—it cannot eliminate all risks associated with a home purchase.  I recommend that you review the Oregon Buyer Advisory published by the Oregon Real Estate Agency (www.oregonrealtors.org/About_OAR/buyadv.html) for more information about how to protect yourself in this all important purchase.  Thank you for selecting me as your real estate professional.