A house sale inspection is an important part of the home buying process. It is usually done after the seller accepts your offer and before closing.
A home inspector will look at property details, focusing on things that are not working properly or that may be close to the end of their useful life.
Electrical
Electrical distribution or lighting equipment is the fourth leading cause of home fires. This is one of the reasons why buyers may require an electrical inspection when preparing to buy a home.
In older homes, old wiring can be a serious problem. Knob-and-tube and aluminum branch circuit wiring pose severe fire hazards and can render the house uninsurable.
A pre-listing inspection allows sellers to rectify these issues prior to putting the property on the market. This will prevent them from being asked to make costly upgrades by the buyers later on and will speed up the sale process.
Plumbing
With so many factors to juggle, it’s easy to overlook the plumbing. But a faulty plumbing system can be a deal-breaker for buyers. Nobody wants to invest their sweat equity in a money pit.
Adding a plumbing inspection to the home sale checklist can help reduce buyer regret. And it’s an opportunity for sellers to prevent any potential legal disputes. South Jersey law requires sellers to disclose any problems with their property, including plumbing issues. If the home seller knows of a problem but doesn’t disclose it, the buyer could sue them.
HVAC
A comprehensive HVAC inspection includes a variety of tests and assessments. The results will help a home buyer make an informed decision about the purchase. Depending on the findings of the report, the buyer can decide to move forward with the sale, schedule additional inspections, renegotiate the purchase price or request repairs from the seller.
If you’re selling your home, a pre-listing inspection can save you money and stress. Cherry-picking issues that are quick and easy to fix can dramatically shorten the list of defects a home inspector uncovers. This makes it harder for buyers to use their findings as a bargaining tool, which means you can make a more competitive offer.
Roof
A home inspector will look at the state of a house’s roof, including its features. They will also check the condition of the attic, including vents, ducts and insulation.
A house inspection can reveal a lot of information, and it’s important for buyers to understand what they’re getting into. They can also use the information to negotiate with sellers about repairs and make concessions during a sale.
Many homes have a home inspection contingency in their purchase agreement, which allows buyers to back out of the contract within a certain timeframe if they find significant issues. Some buyers choose to skip the inspection to beat out competitive offers, but that can be costly in the long run.
Foundation
If a home’s foundation is cracked or damaged, it will affect the house’s functionality. It may not close properly, lock safely or easily, keep out moisture or pests, or just look ugly. The inspector will check for signs of problems like cracks in the wall or basement, whether soil is in contact with the bottom of the foundation, and other problems. Unlike a buyer’s inspection, which is conducted after the sales contract is signed, a pre-inspection is performed before the contract is written up and signed. This gives the seller more time to make any repairs and avoid unpleasant surprises.
Exterior
During this service, trained officials visit the house and conduct a visual inspection to determine whether all building protocols were followed during construction or not. They also look at the foundation and roof to make sure that they are intact.
Home inspection services are often required by a buyer as part of the purchase contract to identify any major issues that could derail the sale. They can help avoid buyer’s regret and give the buyer leverage to negotiate the price of the home.
Pre-inspections can be beneficial to sellers as well. However, the seller is typically responsible for covering the cost of the inspection.
Interior
The home inspector can also check for any issues with the interior. This might include things like the plumbing or structural damage. They can also point out any repairs that need to be done before closing on the property.
This inspection is done after the buyer makes an offer and accepts terms from the seller. Typically, the buyer adds this contingency to their offer and gives themselves a time frame within which they need to conduct the inspection and any follow-up evaluations.
While the home seller doesn’t receive a copy of the report, they can use this information to fix any problems before listing the property. This can eliminate buyer requests for concessions and make the sale smoother.