What is a Home Inspection?
Your Real Estate Purchase Contract probably included an inspection contingency and you will want to a complete home inspection during that time. After all, no one likes a big unexpected repair bill right after you move in! Read: What Are The Three Main Contingencies In A Sale
Before we get into what the home inspections look like, it is important to understand…
What Is A Home Inspection?
A home inspection is a visual inspection by experienced professionals. Your Glendale CA home is nearly 90 years old and generations of homeowners have left their mark. Your inspector should help you identify any major maintenance issues, critical problems or safety hazards, but don’t expect the home to reflect the latest and greatest building codes.
The general home inspector is often a licensed contractor. A good inspector has deep experience with older homes and enjoys educating the buyer on the various systems and elements of the home.
What Gets Inspected?
A home inspector examines every inch of the interior, testing mechanical systems and peering into dark corners. They also climb into the attic looking for roof leaks and mechanical failures. Then they examine the exterior and the grounds. They are looking for water problems, exterior cracks and signs of structural damage. Lastly the crawl under the house to inspect the foundation and any systems they can view.
A home inspection is also an excellent introduction to this home. You’ll find out important home maintenance tips to help you protect your investment for the life of your ownership.
You’ll Need More Than A General Home Inspection
A home inspector is a generalist and they will often recommend additional inspections by specialists if they see something out of the norm.
Common Inspections
We recommend four upfront inspections for our older character homes – a general home inspection, chimney scope, sewer scope and a wood-destroying pest inspection (this is often called the termite inspection). Occasionally a home seller will perform pre-sale inspections and provide reports upfront. It is your decision if you will accept or repeat these inspections. The total cost for all is between $800 – $1000.
Bonus Read: Should I get a Pre Sale Inspection
Cautious home buyers might also hire specialist inspectors for the pool, foundation, roof, plumbing, and electrical. These inspections can run between $85 – $125 a piece.
Special Inspections
If the lot is irregular or on mountainous terrain a buyer might want a specialized inspection like a geologist or a surveyor. Expect to pay anywhere from $1500 to $5,000 per inspection and wait up to 3 weeks for results.
The Home Inspection Process
Home inspections for a common Glendale Ca home take 2 – 3 hours. The general home inspector will prepare a report and include photos of the findings. The report is organized by room and area and items needing immediate attention are often highlighted.
What Happens If The Inspector Finds Problems?
The homeowner will disclose any known defects upfront. But, a homeowner can be unaware of items that are broken, hazardous or about to fail. This is not the time to focus on “minor and normal old home stuff”. Instead, carefully consider major items that might cause you to re-evaluate your purchase. As part of the contingency removal discussion, you can ask the homeowner to fix, replace or give you a credit, but this might not work during a strong seller’s market.
Read: The Most Requested Repairs When Selling
A great Glendale CA Realtor will help you take a step back and refocus on your priorities. Knowing what you know now, what is the home worth to you? Is this still the right home for you or should you walk away?
