One of the toughest decisions you may come across when you finally find your dream home and you’re ready to put your offer in. Do I need a home inspection? I’ll make it really easy for you – YES. Going in for a subject free offer may be very appealing to the owners and may give you the upper hand in a multiple offer situation but it’s also a large gamble. To put it very simply, a house is the single largest investment most individuals will ever make throughout their lifetime, and when you make this purchase you want to know exactly what you’re getting with no hidden surprises.  Forgoing the home inspection may win you the home, but it could also win you years of headaches and nothing but expensive hidden problems throughout. Let me ask you this, how well do you trust the owners? Do you trust them to disclose every single detail that’s wrong with their home? Probably not, and other than that they may not know the extent of the problems that may be laying underneath their very eyes. Having a certified Home Inspector come in to evaluate your potential home is the best way to discover the truth and have an unbiased honest, informed opinion.

Why is it important to get the inspection done?

Getting a home inspection on your potential home gives you the ultimate piece of mind that you need. You won’t need to worry about the structure of your home, roof or foundation crumbling because any issues would’ve been brought to your attention during your home inspection report. It also will give you a road map to a maintenance schedule and give you the opportunity to budget for any repairs that you will need to make in the near future.  Keeping you aware of what’s going on with your home.

I’m buying a new home do I still need one?

Yes – the answer will always be yes. Most of us would assume, I’m buying a brand new home, why on earth do I need a home inspection when I already know there’s no problems with the roof or foundation since it’s brand new. Well, there’s more to it. Having a home inspection done before the sale is final is the last stop. The home inspector will make sure everything is working properly and no repairs are needed before you move in. Ultimately having a home inspection done on a new home will give you the negotiating power before you sign on the dotted line to have any repairs done, before you hand over the money.

How to choose your home inspector?

Choosing a home inspector can be overwhelming. With the internet conveniently at our fingertips it’s easy to access a large directory of home inspectors in your area. A helpful hint in choosing the right home inspector for your new home is to research research research! Look to see how long they’ve been in business for and if they have a few years under their belt. Secondly, assure that you will be receiving a report onsite once they complete their inspection. Having the report handed to you right then and there gives you the opportunity to address any questions or concerns you may have.  Open availability is also important. Buying a home can move quite quickly; you want to make sure that the home inspector will fit the schedule that will best work for you. Lastly, word of mouth and references. There’s no better way than finding out the good, the bad and the ugly than reading reviews. Check out their Facebook page or website and see what others have to say! Just remember the key to choosing the right home inspector is do your research!

What to expect?

Depending on what home you’re looking at having inspected, whether it’s a condo, townhome or detached house it can take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours. Your home inspector will complete a detailed walk through of your potential home outside & inside. It’s a complete top to bottom review of the physical structure of the home as well as its electrical and mechanical systems.  The inspector will make sure all the major appliances are functioning correctly. They will also assess the heating and air-conditioning systems to assure everything is working properly. They will examine the plumbing to validate that there is no leaks or water damage to the home. If there is a basement, crawl space or attic your home inspector will either crawl up into the attic or down into the basement/crawlspace to ensure that there are no problems. While your inspector is doing the walk through of the inside/outside of your potential home they will be taking notes and pictures for the report. Most importantly your inspector will provide you with an unbiased professional opinion of the homes condition with your report at the end of the inspection.

Having an expert in your corner when it comes to taking a look at your potential home is worth every penny when you’re buying; whether it be your first of your fifth investment in real estate. This blog post has been made possible by the contributions by the gracious Daniel Fedosenko of Mr Home Inspector Ltd. We are grateful for the opportunity of interviewing you for this blog post.