Required to purchase home inspections

When considering a property for purchase it is very important to subject it to certain inspections to ensure that it is in good condition and that the sale value corresponds to the real state of the property. Inspections may not be mandatory if the house is purchased in cash, but they are highly recommended. When the property is financed, the lending bank does require certain inspections to be carried out before the purchase.

Recommended inspections include: plumbing system (condition of pipes, drainage, taps, etc.), electrical system (wiring, if it complies with the code of electrical installations, condition of switches, sockets, barkers control panel, etc.) , roof, general structure of housing, presence or absence of termites, septic tank, and if you have pool, check if it works properly and if there are leaks. If annexes have been constructed to the original property, the potential buyer must ensure that the relevant permits have been requested from the municipality and that building codes are complied with.

It is also often reviewed if the house has lead-based paint (toxic agent) widely used until 1978, levels of radon (radioactive agent that leaks from the ground up and that at high levels causes lung cancer), water conditions That arrives at the house or the well if it has a private one (test of chemicals or toxic or bacteriological agents in the water).

Potential buyers should tune their eyes when checking the property: leaks in walls and ceilings, presence of rotten wood, good ventilation in the attic, air conditioning units and their maintenance, existence of storm and hurricane protectors, good condition of windows And doors including the garage, proper water pressure and the space below the house is dry, clean and free of obstacles.

At the time of buying with bank financing all they demand is the inspection of roof and termites but insists that “ask the inspector where is everything Where to locate the structural problems so that there are no surprises later the roof, for example, has a useful life of approximately 25 years, if the house to buy has more years than this then the owner has to think about rebuilding the entire roof.

To avoid getting into trouble with the municipality and, besides the house, acquiring a violation of building regulations in the county where the property is located, it is recommended to investigate whether there was any added to the original property and if the permits were obtained.

If there is a bank loan involved, it is necessary to obtain the original plans of the property (survey) to delineate the boundaries of the land, to ensure that there are no crossings with the properties.

When an inspection company is selected, it is recommended that this provides a guarantee of their work from 30 to 90 days after the purchase, and that future owners require the inspector is licensed and safe, because if errors then there is no way amend committed.

Another tip to consider is to be present when all the inspections are carried out. Normally the inspection lasts three hours and a half and you have a complete diagnosis of what is good and what does not work.

Inspection costs 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 the real estate agent who assists the buyer in your 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 at the expense of the seller if a problem arises 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 an model contract of sale, that contains fair conditions for both the seller and the buyer.