To avoid getting into trouble with the municipality and acquiring not only the house, but also a violation of the building regulations of the county where the property is located, it is recommended to investigate if there were any additions to the house and if the necessary permits were obtained.
When an inspection company is selected, it is recommended that it provide a guarantee of its work 30 to 90 days after the purchase, and that future owners demand that the inspector is licensed and insured, since if errors.
The costs of inspections required when buying a house vary from company to company. A full inspection can be between $ 300 and $ 500 or more. If the septic tank is required to be inspected it would be about $ 100 to about $ 175. Roof and termite inspection can cost about $ 250. And if individual inspections are hired separately its price goes from $ 175 to $ 300. The price for inspections of small rental apartments can be around $ 200 to $ 350.
The best way to find qualified inspectors is through Realtors who assist the buyer in their transaction. The agent must recommend at least three different companies for the buyer to choose according to his taste.
In general, the purchase and sale contracts contain a clause that says that 1.5 percent of the purchase price will be used for seller’s expenses if there is a problem with the property. They also give a period of time commonly of 10 days to carry out the inspections. It is vital to check the terms of the contract as to what aspects of the house can be inspected, if it contemplates possibilities of negotiating the sale price in case of problems and if it allows to leave the transaction in case there is no agreement. It is recommended to use the Florida Association of Realtors (FAR) model contract of sale that contains fair conditions for both the seller and the buyer.