Home Inspections A Win for Parties
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You may already be familiar with some of the more obvious benefits of home inspections. It?s true that a home inspection protects everyone involved in the real estate transaction. Buyers help protect themselves from costly repairs and post-closing surprises. The process helps sellers comply with state-enforced full disclosure real estate laws and aids in marketing the property. Realtors benefit from reduced liability and the reduced likelihood of litigation. Everyone benefits from decreased negotiation time and fewer last-minute closing hassles. Beyond these clear advantages, home inspections also offer an invaluable service to the new home owner by introducing and acquainting them with their new home?s structure, systems, and components. A professional home inspection can actually help orient the buyer to their new purchase. A How-To For The Home “Homes are one of the few large investments we make where the product does not come with an instruction manual,” says Steve Wadlington, AmeriSpec?s chief operating officer. “Home buyers are left to acquaint themselves in the best way they can with their new purchase. It?s not unusual for a family to move into their new home without knowing many basic necessities, like where the main water shut-off is, or how to find the fuse box. A home inspector can point out many of these things, plus other valuable information.” Wadlington also points out that the home inspector is the only person in the real estate transaction process who is uniquely qualified or responsible for serving in this capacity. “No one else really has the knowledge or the obligation to fill this role,” he says. “The mortgage lender and the real estate agent have important and specific jobs to do, but checking out the plumbing is not part of their job descriptions. It is, however, one of the home inspector?s responsibilities.” Enhancing the Experience Wadlington sees the home inspection as a critical part of the home buying process from the buyer?s point of view. “Besides inspecting the home from a technical point of view, the inspector can enhance the overall home buying experience by teaching the home owners about their new purchase,” he says. “This service in turn adds value to the services provided by the other parties involved, and can result in a more satisfied client and increased referrals.” Wadlington says that one example of this added value is The AmeriSpec Report?, which can serve as a reference piece for future maintenance activities. The report in-cludes a comprehensive, 400-plus item report on the condition of the house, a seasonal maintenance checklist and a full-color, 190-page Home Maintenance Manual. “It?s the closest thing to an instruction manual that the home buyer will receive,” he says. What to Expect from an Inspection If the home inspector is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the home buyer can expect these items to be covered in the inspection: ?Structural System (foundation/framing) ?Exterior (exterior covering, flashing, trim, decks, balconies, etc.) ?Roof System (roof covering, drainage, flashings) ?Plumbing System ?Electrical System ?Air Conditioning System ?Interior (walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, stairways, railings) ?Insulation and Ventilation ?Fireplaces and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances (vent systems, flues, chimneys) “It?s also important to know what the home inspection does not include,” Wadlington says. “A good, professional home inspector will point out the items excluded from the inspection so the buyer fully understands what to expect.” Buyer Be There Having the opportunity to become familiar with their new home is one of the main reasons why AmeriSpec encourages buyers to be on hand for the inspection process, if at all possible. “Being on site during the process really does aid buyers in familiarizing themselves with the home,” Wadlington says. “When the buyer is present, the inspector can point out specific things to them and the buyer has the opportunity to ask questions if they want to. Buyers also often use this time and access to the house to do any measuring or checking they need to do before moving in.” In short, professional home inspections offer much more than just technical knowledge. They can also offer the buyer practical knowledge about their home. If you want to really roll out the welcome mat for your clients, suggest that buyers take full advantage of all the valuable benefits a home inspection can bring. More : rismedia.com |