Are you ready to sell your home and or buy a home? Here are five common mistakes to avoid.
Why aren’t you researching the home inspector you are hiring?
Many home buyers and sellers take a card from their realtor and just run with the first one they see. Do your research! You want a certified, well trained home inspector to do your inspection. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when researching an inspector:
- How long have you been inspecting homes?
- Home many inspections have you done?
- What are your qualifications, certifications and training?
- What prior training in the home inspection industry does the inspector have?
Some home inspectors, like myself, are newbies (almost one year in the industry). Most aren’t that great. However, you want to make sure that they are dedicated, honest, well trained and willing to not just educate the client but, build the relationship with the client that shows that the inspector cares for the investment as much as the client. The client isn’t just another dollar sign. Sure, bills need to be paid, but the client’s life saving could be on the line. Working hard never hurt anyone. You want to look for an inspector who can analyze the home’s strengths and weaknesses and then explain their findings.
Are you not attending your inspection?
Look I get it, we all have busy schedules. Work, with school at night, children (and all their activities) and a spouse you want to spend time with, things can get crazy. For me, attending your inspection is not mandatory. However, it is highly recommended. When you receive your report, you may still have questions that come up from the report that you do not understand. An inspection can take 3-4 hours, make some time to attend. It’s okay to tag along and ask questions at the inspection. The best thing is let the inspector do his or her job and you can write down the questions you want answered at the end of the process. Don’t get me wrong you can ask during the inspection and the home inspector will gladly answer the question (most do). But allow the inspector to do the job accurately for you.
Did you read that inspection report?
Don’t just glance at it and give it to the realtor. The report helps you to understand your home and its needs for maintenance. A good inspector will educate you on what’s wrong with the house and what it may take to fix it. The reports nowadays are digital with photos, so they are easy to read.
If you are selling your house, did you get an inspection before putting the home on the market?
Typically, if you are selling a house you are not thinking of a home inspection. Home buyers are! But you should be thinking of a home inspection too. Usually, when a home buyer gets a home inspection, the seller does not have much time to do repairs. Or worst yet, they lose a potential buyer because there are too many deficiencies to repair. However, if the seller has the home inspected before putting the home on the market, there will be more than enough time to repair some – if not, everything on the report. Then the selling processing will be much easier.
Did you prepare your home for an inspection?
One of the things that grinds my gears (as well as other home inspectors gears) are homes on the market that are not prepared for an inspection. Especially when they know the home will be inspected at some point. The majority of your home inspectors do not move furniture during an inspection Seth is includes, furniture or equipment in front of an electrical panel (safety hazard), under the attic hatch, or in the utility room. One of the main reasons is due to liability. You break it, you bought it! Please be considerate and move the furniture a little to allow access to certain parts of a home. Unlock the utility closet, basement or even your attic. If you do not know what to do to prepare an inspection, call an inspector or ask you realtor. They will gladly help you. Oh yea, don’t DIY the repair. Nine out of ten times (if an inspector is good) they will catch it and it will show up on the report. That means you will have to pay for the repair anyway. Avoid extra unnecessary costs.
