How many existing home sales do you think take place in the United States every month?
More than 5,000! In May 2018 alone, number of sales averaged at 5,430.
This statistic shows that Americans continue to pursue their dream of homeownership. The housing stock increase of 6.5% (representing a stunning $2-trillion worth) by the end of 2017 is another proof.
But this doesn’t mean you should go ahead and buy that property you’ve got your eye on. First, you need to inspect every inch of it.
Why get a home inspection though?
Because it’s the only way you can ensure you’re buying exactly what you’re paying for. That your soon-to-be home is safe for occupation and won’t put you and your family at risk.
To help you better understand home inspection for buyers, we’ve come up with this list of the top five reasons.
1. It May be a Stunner Outside, But Not on the Inside
Put yourself in the shoes of potential sellers. You’d want to prepare to sell your home as much as you can, right?
This means making it appealing as possible through the process called “staging.” Think fresh coat of exterior paint, manicured lawn, and pretty windows.
Great, right?
The problem is that you may come across properties that are only beautiful outside. On the inside, certain aspects of the plumbing and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems may already have problems.
You can only buy with peace of mind by getting a thorough home inspection.
2. Become a Homeowner without Regrets
As many as 30% of home sellers regret not preparing enough for the sale of their property.
One reason is because they had to lower their asking price after a buyer’s home inspector found issues with the roofing, plumbing and HVAC, and other integral structural components of the house.
After all, these are what home inspections look for in the first place (among many other things).
As such, you should take a page out of these smart buyers’ book. A home inspection lets you buy without regretting your decision. You’ll have better-negotiating ability if the inspection discovers any of the problems above.
3. Keep Your New Homeowner Expenses to a Minimum
You don’t want to spend an additional $350 to repair a malfunctioning AC when you move into your new home, do you? Nor do you want to shell out up to $450 for hiring a plumber because of a burst pipe.
In other words, you don’t want your expenses as a new homeowner to rack up because of these problems. You’ve already spent a lot on your purchase, so keep it from rising through a professional home inspection.
4. Get a Better Deal
As mentioned above, you can improve your negotiating abilities when your home inspector finds issues with the house you want to buy.
This means you can either ask the seller to lower the asking price or have the seller fix those problems before you sign the agreement.
In any case, a home inspection improves your chances of securing a better deal on that house. You can also find out more here about this homebuying deal-breaking service.
5. Move in Without Worries
The home buying process is already a long, arduous task. The last thing you want is to spend a lot of money and still move into a house with a faulty HVAC, leaky pipes, sagging floorboards, or worse – mold!
With the help of a professional home inspector, you can say goodbye to these worries and enjoy your experience as a new homeowner to its fullest.
Why Get a Home Inspection? Because You’re a Smart Buyer
These are only five of the many answers to your question, “Why get a home inspection?” They should be enough to show you the value of home inspections.
Do you want more information on buying a home? Be sure to check out our other consumer resource blog posts! You’ll find even more useful advice there for new home buyers.