Best Time For a Home Inspection

Prior to Selling a Home is the Ideal Time for a Home Inspection

By Mark J. Donovan




From a buyers perspective the best time for a home inspection is before he or she actually purchases the home. This is the point in time where a buyer knows the least about the home of interest, and is about to make a huge commitment to it. The last thing a buyer wants, however, is to purchase a pig in a poke. Every year thousands of home buyers get screwed by signing on the dotted line for purchasing a home, to find out later that they need to spend thousands of additional dollars on home repairs.

If only they had made the purchase and sales agreement contingent upon passing a home inspection, and paid the extra few hundred dollars for the home inspection, they could have saved themselves from falling into a money pit.

Another excellent time for a home inspection, from the seller’s perspective, is just prior to putting a home on the market. This way the seller can learn where all of the warts are with his or her home, and can elect to address them prior to putting the home on the market, or list the home for a lower price.

Though a seller may think he or she already knows where all the warts are with a home, they are often incorrect and/or need a reality check from an objective home inspector. More often than not a homeowner dismisses small issues as not really a problem, however to potential buyers even the smallest of problems can be a deal killer.

Homes that have had a home inspection prior to being put on the market typically sell faster because they either have less issues when the home is actually put on the market, or the home has been priced right to reflect its existing issues.

Make sure to pull permits when building a home or doing any type of renovation work on it.

Also, it helps to eliminate any surprises and uncomfortable situations between the buyer and seller during the sales negotiations which could sour the deal. With both parties eyes wide open a more constructive sales price negotiation can take place.

So whether you’re a potential home seller or a buyer the best time for a home inspection is prior to actually listing or purchasing the home. You’ll save yourself unwanted surprises and have better leverage when negotiating the home sale.

To find a home inspector in your local area check the American Home inspector Directory, which maintains a national database of home inspectors. Similarly you can find a home inspector via Renovation Expert’s national database of contractors and home inspectors. Simply fill out their free form and 3 to 4 home inspectors in your local area will contact you. There is no charge or obligation to use this service or any one of the home inspectors.


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