Planning to purchase a property, right? If that’s the case, then you would be well-advised to include a ‘home-inspection’ clause in the purchase agreement. It allows you to hire the services of an independent home inspector to inspect the said property, check the property, and list out the flaws in the form of an inspection report. The good news is that you can use the inspection report to negotiate with the seller and see if you drive the prices down. That said, here’s a closer look at what you, as a buyer need to do, during a home inspection.
- Make sure you are present: A few buyers tend to be AWOL, especially during the process. It cannot be stated enough; when it comes to a home inspection in Ventura County CA – you must be present on the site. You need to be aware of what’s taking place and even point out various issues that you would like the inspector to take a closer look at. Remember this is not similar to a property appraisal which most banks use to determine the value of a property. Rather it is a home inspection, carried out by a certified home inspector who is on-site to assess it first hand. He would make a note of the various flaws and issues that need to be fixed and should provide you with his assessment in the form of an inspection report. Keep in mind that no inspector would either pass or fail a property but would just provide you with an inspection report. And that’s why you must be present on location when the inspection is taking place.
- Inspecting the roof: As a buyer, you would want to know if the roof is in good condition or requires urgent repairs. And naturally, given this, you may want to request the inspector to take a closer look at the roof, when he gets to it. One of the issues that most inspectors would look for is missing tiles, cracked vents, and whether the roof is leaking or not. This can usually be determined by the leak stains on the ceiling, which is why it makes more sense to start with the roof.
- Inspect the grounds: Apart from the roof, you may want to ask the buyer to examine the ground first. The inspector would generally inspect the front porch, and even determine if the porch lights are in working condition. He would then move on to inspect the grounds, to see if there are any residual signs of water stagnation. Such water stagnation usually affects the basement as well as the foundation of the home. And that’s where he would head over next.
- Foundation and the basement: Water can cause wood to rot, apart from which it can cause concrete to develop cracks over a period. And apart from these, it can also be a fertile ground for black mold to take root. And these are some of the issues that the inspector would take a close look at, as he inspects the basement. And of course, he is also bound to check the crawlspace and the foundation to see if there is any structural damage, due to all the water leakage and stagnation.
- Plumbing and electrical: As the inspector moves on, he would want to check the plumbing to see if all the bathrooms and faucets are in prime working condition. He would also check out the various electrical appliances for the same reason. He may even take a close look at the wiring in the home, especially if it happens to be an antiquated property that you hope to purchase. And as mentioned earlier, all the issues would be noted down in the inspection report.
These are some of the issues that a home inspector is bound to assess and determine if they are working just fine. Remember that a home inspector does not remove mold or asbestos but instead, he would merely list them out in his report. That’s it, and once you receive it, you can resume your negotiations with the buyer.
