Home Inspection

What Is a Home Inspection?

If you’re looking to buy a house, a home inspection is part of the process. If you’re going to be a first-time homeowner soon, there are some things you should know about home inspections so that you are prepared when it comes time to seal the deal.

Andrew Cunningham-Moorat is a home inspector with expertise in examining key areas of buildings for residential and non-commercial properties. He knows how vital home inspections are to the home buying process. He explains what to expect from a home inspection.

A home inspection is the last chance to find problems with the condition of the house before the purchase is finalised. Inspections can last a couple of hours depending on the size of the home, and buyers should plan to attend the inspection to ask questions and have another look at their new house. Buyers are usually the ones to pay for the inspection, though this can be part of the negotiation process. However, it can be beneficial for the buyer to hire their own inspector who isn’t connected to the seller.

Home inspectors will review the following:

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems

Electrical wiring

Plumbing

Attic

Roof

Walls, ceilings, and floors

Doors and windows

Foundation

Basement

Home inspectors will check the home for water damage, asses the condition of the insulation, looks for cracks and damages, foundational issues, and any other problems with the home. The report may include a lot of small things that you might not be bothered to fix, but keep an eye out for major issues, such as roof damage.

Are Presale Home Inspections Necessary for Sellers?

In a bid to win over sellers, some buyers are opting out of home inspections. Andrew Cunningham-Moorat previously discussed why that may not be the best idea. Now real estate professionals are even suggesting that sellers consider taking on their own presale home inspections. Home Inspector Cunningham-Moorat discusses:

Should you have your home inspected before you decide to put it on the market? According to real estate experts: you might want to consider it. Much like home buyers are skipping inspections to rush the process, sellers are also looking for more and more ways to guarantee a speedy sale.

According to home inspection and real estate experts, having your home inspected prior to sale could be the icing on the cake. And if you want to snag yourself an offer on the day of the open house — a home inspection might be the ticket!

On the other hand, Andrew Cunningham-Moorat suggests presale inspections because he believes these save a lot of time. Uncovering major and minor issues can help sellers feel out the market a bit more by realizing what they actually have to sell. Minor repairs and improvements can be major selling points to homeowner-hopefuls. So if you’re looking for a way to increase your chances of a quick sale (and potentially increase your property value and profits), a presale home inspection is a fantastic idea!

Home Inspector Says You Need Repairs: Who Will Pay?

So your home inspection report is in. And the home inspector has some bad news… The home of your dreams will need some repairs. Now what? Andrew Cunningham-Moorat explains who pays for repairs after a home inspection:

When a home inspector determines that the home you are purchasing is in need of repairs, who will foot the bill? Will the buyer pay for the repairs? Will the seller? Or both?

In Home Inspector, Andrew Cunningham-Moorat’s experience: it’s difficult to say. The answer completely depends on the terms of the contract signed at the time of your initial deposit. In some cases, the seller will be forced to cover the cost of repairs. But in others, it will be you, the buyer, who will be responsible for whatever the inspection deems necessary.

Andrew Cunningham-Moorat recommends that you consult your Home Inspector about your contract, prior to scheduling a walk through. This can help provide you and your family with some clarification on what to expect.

Cutting corners can cost you in the home buying process

Across the United States, the real estate market is red hot! But with interest high and inventory low, buyers are scrambling to secure the sale however they can. Some are even ditching the home inspection process in order to ‘speed things up.’

But experts in the industry, like Andrew Cunningham-Moorat, warn that this decision could cost you tremendously!

Andrew Cunningham-Moorat home inspection tampa bay

The real estate market has gone a-buzz just about everywhere. But in Tampa Bay, the heat is being felt tenfold! Currently, homes listed on the market are selling well above the initial asking price — meaning major profit margins for sellers. In the urgency to secure a property, buyers are in a frenzy. With so many offers flying onto the table, the bidding process has turned topsy turvy and buyers are being forced to get creative in their pitch.

For some, this has meant cutting corners by skipping the home inspection process all together. The logic behind this is that the emphasis on urgency might appeal to the seller and, therefore, secure the sale. But experts like Andrew Cunningham-Moorat and Ron Thompson, Keller Williams Tampa Bay realtor, warn that this is not the way to go!

Foregoing the home inspection process is a major risk. You could wind up purchasing a property that will wind up needing a value-demolishing amount of work! Or worse, the property may quickly become uninhabitable… Play it safe: schedule that inspection first!