Buying a home for the first time is simultaneously exciting and terrifying. After all, homeownership comes with numerous responsibilities, many of which first-time buyers have never had to tackle before. If you want to start your home ownership journey on the right foot, one of the most important things you can do is have an expert perform a home inspection before you close on your purchase.
Home inspections tend to cost a few hundred dollars (sometimes sellers will pay these fees), but are often worth far more than that. If you’ve done a walkthrough of your house and didn’t see any glaring problems, you might be tempted to waive a professional home inspection and skip straight to closing. If you do this, you’re likely to face some rude awakenings down the road. Some of the main reasons you should never do a home inspection without an expert are detailed below.
You don’t know what you’re looking for.
While you could certainly see if there were holes in your new home’s hardwood floors or chunks of drywall or plaster missing, more subtle problems might elude you. Professional home inspectors are trained to look for a variety of issues in houses, from foundation problems that could cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix to water leaks that could wreak havoc, causing mold infestations and health problems for your loved ones.
In order to feel like a thorough home inspection was done before you buy a house of any age, it’s critical to let a professional scour every nook and cranny.
You don’t understand building codes.
Different states, and even different cities within the same state, have unique building codes. These regulations require homeowners to meet certain standards or face ramifications, such as fines. As a layperson, you probably aren’t aware of all of the building codes in your area. A professional home inspector will be able to tell you if certain features of your house aren’t up-to-code and, therefore, require repair before you can sign any closing documents.
Waiting for a professional to conduct a home inspection on the house you’re planning to buy might seem like a hassle, but it is more than worthwhile in the end. You will be glad you turned to an expert and you might even learn a thing or two about your new abode along the way. To learn more about us and what we offer, check out our website. If you are ready to schedule your home inspection or have questions contact us, or call/text us at 1 (978) 973 – 9783.