Becoming a homeowner is a major dream for many, one that people work hard to accomplish. This is why you must do your due diligence before purchasing a property. Some houses may look absolutely perfect at first, but purchasing one without trying out the appliances or checking for potential problems can lead to a lot of headaches down the line. You might even end up paying far more than you should for the home. No one wants to find out this last tidbit of information late in the game, which is why getting your house inspected first is always a good idea. The following are a few concrete and compelling reasons to get the home professionally inspected before plunking down a lot of money on it.
Judging a Book By Its Cover
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is an adage that rings especially true when trying to purchase a home. The facade might look lovely, and the interiors may even be spectacular. But, bear in mind that these looks entail a song and dance between the real estate trying to woo you, and the owners trying to offload property that has been a pain in the neck for them. This is especially true when considering a newly constructed home, where there could be many hidden issues with the wiring, plumbing, and so on.
A preliminary inspection is absolutely necessary, even if the home seems new. In the absence of tenants who’ve previously lived there, it may be difficult to locate structural issues. For example, only a professional inspection of the property can tell you if the siding is rotten or damaged, or if the water is pooling in hidden corners of the home. Also, you want to be on the lookout for broken gutters and peeling paint because, if you’re not looking for a fixer-upper, then what is the point? You’ll end up spending a lot of money making repairs you weren’t prepared to do, only because you did not question the facade.
Save Money
While you may be reluctant to pay the three hundred or five hundred dollar fee for a home inspection, it will help you save you a lot of money in the long run. Especially given how hot and dry the weather tends to be in Australia and other parts of the world, you want to be on the lookout for all kinds of damage that your property could incur. As the experts at building inspections in Adelaide share, fronting the cash for a professional inspection is well worth it since you will be saving on many bothersome upgrades or repairs that you would have had to take on later. Furthermore, and perhaps even more importantly, the information culled from a professional inspection can help you negotiate a better price on the property you’re interested in.
For example, maybe the home you’re especially interested in is on the cusp of your affordability range, and you’re not quite sure if you have the bargaining power necessary to bring the cost down. However, the inspection report will help you by gathering the information necessary about the property while incorporating language that can allow you to negotiate further down, or even better, to purchase a contract that allows you leeway in becking out of an agreement if there are serious problems in the inspection. In all cases, the inspection report will help you save money in more ways than one, and is an important step to take.
Amend the Agreement
Briefly noted above, you can use the inspection report as a way to amend the legal contract between you and the landlord before taking over ownership of the property. Yes, you may be able to negotiate a lower price, but you could also include a clause in the contract that paid. If, however, the seller is uninterested in implementing the repairs themselves, then ask them to deduct an amount from the total asking price. Knowing full well the condition of the home and the quality of its parts before trying to buy it will definitely help give you the upper hand in any legal agreements or negotiations that take place.
Problem Solving
When you’re being shown around a house for the first time, one that has freshly hit the market, you’re typically seeing it from its best angles. Sure, a good paint job or excellent light fixtures may be a lovely way to start and will get you all jazzed to buy the lovely home pronto, but those well-appointed layouts could be concealing major problems. An inspector will take the time to check the roof and the attic and figure out what the space looks like, or lacks. You won’t be able to solve deep issues with the property such as mangy gutters or a potentially dangerous crack in the foundation without some kind of prep beforehand. These are deep issues that a new homeowner cannot be expected to deal with unless they are ready to take on a fixer-upper project.
Of course, not all of us live inside a reality tv show wherein intrepid interior designers take on the work of renovating a home to the cheers and applause of their neighbors. The inspector will help you discover truly expensive and dangerous or hazardous problems in the property early on and will give you a bird’s eye view that a real estate agent will be reluctant to do. Basically, if you want to figure out the extent to which you have the budget and mental capacity to fix major problems in your new home, contacting an inspector to help you with the work is a good idea.
Clearly, there are quite a few upsides to hiring a professional inspector to give your potential new home a thorough check-up. Above all, it will help provide much-needed peace of mind. You will know right away if you’re getting your money’s worth, rather than finding out when it is too late and your name is already on the deed. Surely, no one wants to deal with that!
