Home inspection detects problems before purchase – Entertainment & Life – The Topeka Capital-Journal

Stack? Check. Wooden floor? Check. Finished basement? Yes. You have searched for a while and now you think you have found your dream home.

But how can you be sure that there aren’t any hidden problems with the property that would require expensive repairs or upgrades after the keys are handed over to you?

Vicki Trembly, broker at Coldwell Banker Griffith and Blair in Topeka, and Roger Hower, broker at Kellerman Real Estate in Holton and president of the Sunflower Association of Realtors Inc., say a home inspection by a qualified inspector can reveal important problems with the company Property you want to know before signing the contract.

Why is it important to get an inspection before buying or selling a home?

Assembly: The same reason you would take a used car to a mechanic before buying it – to make sure you get a good deal. Buying a home is a huge investment. It makes sense to know as much as you can about what you are getting. While most of us know how to live in a house, we are not experts in how a house’s mechanical systems work. That’s why you turn to an expert.

Hower: Professional inspections can reveal problems that are hidden from “untrained eyes”. Proactive sellers can improve their marketing power with a pre-listing inspection. Most buyers want to know that there aren’t any major issues before closing.

What should be on the inspection checklist?

Hower: HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), roof, electrical, plumbing (and) foundation are pretty standard. Mold and radon inspections are becoming more common.

Assembly: Any system or structure that the buyer has concerns about should be checked before closing. You can have individual systems inspected – like the electrical system, the roof, or the oven – or you can have an entire house inspection done, where the inspector goes from the roof to the basement or crawl space and looks at everything in between.

I always recommend an inspection of the sewage camera because … it can be expensive and messy to find out there is a problem after closing it.

Who should do the inspection and why?

Assembly: Choose a reputable home inspector who is a member of a home inspection association that has standards and a code of ethics. You want an inspector who is thorough and trustworthy, especially in the event that problems arise that start more negotiation.

Hower: Pros are preferred to “my cousin Eddy who remodeled his own house”. Not to say that Cousin Eddy doesn’t know his way around, but he may not be well versed in all facets of uniform building codes.

Who pays for the inspection?

Assembly: I suggest sellers do a pre-inspection – usually an entire house and sewer. This allows them to identify and fix major problems before pricing and bringing them to market. In this case the seller pays. Most brokerage agreement forms require the buyer to pay for the inspections requested by the buyer, but the matter is subject to negotiation. When submitting a bid, buyers using the Sunflower Association of Realtors form indicate in the contract which inspections the buyer wants, who will perform the inspection, and an estimate of the estimated cost.

How much does an inspection usually cost?

Assembly: the inspection costs vary. An inspection of a single item, such as a stove or sewer, typically costs between $ 100 and $ 175. A whole house will cost anywhere from $ 350 to $ 600.

Hower: $ 400 to $ 450 for a basic home inspection.

What else should people know about home inspections?

Hower: While most house inspectors are trained professionals, they’re not perfect. Inspections are not invasive. For example, if access to a crawl area is blocked or furniture is placed over a hole in the floor, the inspectors are not responsible for moving those items. Ultimately, most inspectors are reputable and add value to the transaction process.

Assembly: Inspections are not judgments. Your lender needs an appraisal in order to get the value of the home. (An assessment) does not identify defects like an inspection. An inspection is neither a guarantee nor a guarantee. It is a snapshot of the state of the house at that time.

Inspections are likely to reveal problems. No matter how new or well-maintained a house is, there will be problems. The random inverted outlet or loose tile – and these are important to find – but the real purpose is to identify potentially costly repairs that the average person is unlikely to be aware of. So don’t be freaked out if there’s a big list of the little things. Focus on the big things.

Contact Niche Editor Jan Biles at (785) 295-1292.

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