What To Expect From a Home Inspection

Screening For Problems:
All homes have strong and weak points, they are not always what they seem. Gain the perspective and sound information you need to make better decisions with a home inspection. A good home inspector works through a very long checklist of potential concerns to identify the major and minor deficiencies in the home. A good report will clearly describe the problems and illustrate them along with the what-to and how-to of repairs.


Provide Buyers Benefits:
The professional home inspection is the best way for potential home buyers to effectively evaluate the risks of a property purchase. A major concern of home buyers is being suddenly confronted with major (and costly) problems after they take possession of a property. A pre-purchase home inspection can reduce anxiety by screening for problems and itemizing them in a comprehensive report. This report may include approximations of repair costs and recommendations of useful upgrades to the property systems. The general result of a professional home inspection is that property buyers make significantly more informed purchases.


Provide Sellers Benefits:
Home sellers who are planning to make improvements to their homes in order to increase its market value would be well advised to have it inspected first. A home inspector can help prioritize home improvements and offer advice on the best ways to approach repairs. More importantly, an inspector can help the seller identify potential or undiscovered problems before those problems become material for contract contingencies. By taking a pro-active approach one can avoid the frustrations many sellers encounter when they are asked to re-negotiate their contracts because of unanticipated problem area

Credentials:
Many people without specific home inspection credentials offer services. Likewise, credentials are not always what they seem. Engineering and architectural credentials alone do not prepare anyone to competently inspect homes and communicate the findings. A helping attitude, good communication skills, and mature judgment must supplement technical competence. Make sure you work with a company employing a contract which specifies both what is offered and what limitations apply. Some "warranties" offer little coverage. Read them carefully.

What To Expect:
Home inspections are not warranties or insurance policies. They can shed light on risk, but cannot eliminate it. For this reason, most home inspection companies will not perform work unless the client signs an agreement detailing the scope of the work and the limitations. There are quite a few limitations with regard to professional inspections. Typical contract clauses may include limitation to readily visible and accessible items; participation in the inspection at your own risk; liability limited to the fee charged; and optional supplementary inspection work at additional fees.

(information provided by "Pilar to Post")