"Yes."
That's it- a one word answer for a very complicated situation. But the reality is that if you're purchasing a re-sale home, it's a very simple 'yes'. A home inspection is completed in just a few hours and can save a ton of money, time, and grief down the road.
Houses are expensive. Add in the lawyer fees, property taxes, insurance, moving costs, furniture, along with myriad of other miscellaneous bills taking money out of your wallet and it's no wonder that so many people want to forego spending the extra money on a home inspection. However, shelling out those extra dollars may save you oodles of money in the future. It may even save you from buying a money pit that will end up costing you more than it's worth.
Not to insult Uncle Joe- we all have one and we love him dearly. He may be a father, grandfather, uncle, brother, friend. He's the Mr. Fix-it, don't waste your money on an inspector because I can look at the house and know what's wrong with it guy. He probably has some sort of background in construction or home renovations, such as drywall, framing, roofing, etc. He may have even built a house or two in his lifetime. Uncle Joe is willing to walk through the house with us (for free!) and somehow determine what's wrong with the house and what needs to be fixed. He may even offer to do the repairs for us, and he will turn the house into our dream home in no time. Sounds like a great plan, and a money saver, right?
If you have this kind of help, you are truly fortunate and should thank Uncle Joe profusely. And then you should hire a home inspector. This is your investment, your family home, possibly your retirement. Uncle Joe may know a lot about houses, but is the chance that he may overlook, underestimate or ignore a problem worth the risk? Let's look at some numbers. With the current housing prices at an all time high, let's consider a traditional family home. Three bedrooms, two baths, a garage, good area of town, decent yard and maybe a finished basement if you're lucky, will cost around $250,000 plus. Add in a modest interest rate average of 4% and an amortization of 25 years and you're looking at a lot of money. An average home inspection cost around $350. Those are pennies when you compare it to the hundreds of thousands of dollars the house will cost you over the next quarter century. So why do you need a home inspection if Uncle Joe is willing to do the same thing? Well, the legalities for one. Home Inspectors are actually certified so having their name stamped on the inspection shows that you had a professional inspect the home before the purchase of the house. This will come in handy if there is a problem and you need to re-negotiate the purchase price. In addition, their knowledge base is broad and needs to stay current with the ever changing building laws, eco-friendly options and safety guidelines.
What Lies Beneath makes for an excellent horror movie title, and many homeowners are having nightmares about what is lying beneath their walls and floors. A home inspector can tell you what needs to be repaired in a house, how easy the problems are to fix, and give you timelines for when repairs should be completed. Many times, Uncle Joe expects to have your work done asap, but days quickly turn into months and then years. The home inspector will give you a real answer on what needs immediate attention and what can safely wait.
It is important to keep in mind that no matter how professional and knowledgeable the inspector is, he or she may not be able to determine every problem the house will have for the next five years. None of us have a crystal ball and sometimes a furnace will break or a leak will start out of the blue. Unfortunately, that's one of the realities of owning and maintaining a home. But you're going to have a much better chance at catching potential problems if you hire a professional with the right tools and training.
So, do you need a home inspector? Unless you're buying a brand new home that's chock ทาวน์โฮมมือสอง กรุงเทพ full of new warranties, the answer is probably yes. Chances are that you're making the biggest investment of your life, so wouldn't it be wise to do all that you can to protect it? Even if you don't purchase the home after the inspection, don't get frustrated. Sometimes the projects are too big, too long, or too expensive. You have not wasted your money. On the contrary, that $350 was well spent because it just saved you tens of thousands of dollars. So keep on house hunting, give Uncle Joe an appreciative hug and tuck that home inspector's card in your pocket for the next house.
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