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A
must have if
hiring a contractor!

 

 
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Get a Home Inspection when Buying a Home
By
Mark J. Donovan
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When deciding upon buying a home, it
is important that you include in the purchase and sales (P&S) agreement a
contingency clause regarding the successful completion of a home inspection. You
should allow yourself up to 30 days from the date of signing of the P&S
agreement, to have the home inspection completed and the results provided to you
and the seller of the home. The purchase and sales agreement should be written
so that you (the buyer) have the right to walk away from the deal, and recover
your full deposit, if the home inspection is not satisfactory to your liking.
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A home inspection is a broad term. A
home inspection actually includes a number of inspections that typically
requires the use of several resources.
A home inspector typically will check
the building structure to ensure that it is structurally sound and that there is
no damage or deficiencies in the home that you may have to address after you
purchase the home. Damage or deficiencies could be as large as water damage or
as small as doors not shutting properly. The home inspector will also examine
the state of the electric, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning systems to
make sure they are installed properly, and are operating correctly. He will also
make sure there are no safety issues within the home. The home inspector can
also look for lead paint, asbestos, and other types of dangerous materials that
may have been used in the home construction.
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Typically a home
inspector can also provide water testing, and air radon testing. These are at
additional moderate costs, however they are well worth the investment. You
should make sure the water testing includes checking for bacteria and radon, as
well as checking for the overall quality of the water. Radon testing of the
water, and air, is also important if your home is located in a region where high
radon levels are known to exist.
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Home inspectors can
also inspect for pests, such as rodents and insect damage. Again, there is
usually a separate moderate charge for this service, however it is worth the
investment. You do not want to buy a home that has a termite problem.
In addition to the
home inspection, it is also important to have the septic system inspected if it
is a private system. Typically you will need to employ the services of a septic
cleaner to provide this type of inspection. You should also find out when the
septic system was installed, how regularly it was maintained, and if it’s
installation was approved by the state and local municipalities.

Find a Pre-Screened Home Inspector Contractor in Your Area
If there is any
concern that hazardous material ever existed on the property, or if there are
underground oil tanks on the premises, you will also want to have a hazardous
material inspection performed on the property. If an active buried oil tank
resides on the property, you may be able to obtain oil tank service information
from the oil service provider that regularly maintains the filling and servicing
of the tank.
In the event
problems are uncovered during the home inspection, the P&S agreement does not
necessarily need to be terminated if the buyer still wants to buy the home.
Frequently the seller may be willing to correct the problems, at their cost and
to the buyer’s satisfaction, in order to enable the purchase and sale of the
home to continue.
A home inspection
is an important part of buying any home, and thus the buying of the home should
be contingent upon the buyer’s satisfaction with the home inspection reports.
Your real estate agent should be able to provide you with a list of home
inspectors in your area to choose from, and the cost of a home inspection is
minuscule compared to the total cost of the home. A home inspection is well
worth the investment; so before you buy your next home, get a home inspection.
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