The Importance of Home Inspections

Prior to buying a home, a potential owner has the opportunity to request a home inspection. During this process, a certified inspector will review the home in depth, looking at the quality and condition of multiple elements both inside and outside. Upon completion, inspectors will issue a report to inform potential buyers of hidden problems in the house.

Some individuals swear by having a home inspected first, stating they wouldn’t ever buy a home without one. Others don’t place as much of an emphasis on it, feeling like it’s an optional piece of the buying process. The decision to have an inspection done is a choice largely up to the buyer.

What Getting An Inspection Means

Choosing to hire a home inspector is typically the recommended route before committing to buying a house. Similar to test driving a car before buying it, a home inspection allows a buyer to know exactly what they are getting into before signing on the dotted line. If the foundation is crumbling or the walls are about to fall down, you’ll know ahead of time.

In other cases, it might be that the roof needs to be replaced in two years, or there might be some minor plumbing work to take care of. It’s this information that will help with negotiations and could help or hinder in moving forward.

When there are a lot of repairs that need to be completed, it can provide an arguing point for the buyer in convincing the seller to accept a lower price to account for these expenditures. Alternatively, a buyer can request that the seller complete them before the sale has been completed.

A Nightmare Of A House

Let’s say that a buyer doesn’t place much stock in a home inspection and chooses to purchase a home without it. About a month after moving in, they start to notice issues with their plumbing, or maybe the heat stops working. What if someone breaks in because the doors aren’t a high enough quality to deter an intruder?

As a worst case scenario, what if you go on vacation and come back to half a house, because faulty wiring caused your Manhattan Beach house to catch fire? These are incredibly extreme examples, but they aren’t beyond the realm of possibility. When someone spends a great deal of money on a home, it’s only common sense that they make sure they know what the condition is of each of the home’s elements.

Everyone’s Needs Are Met

Ultimately, a home inspection benefits both buyer and seller in the long run. Buyers can obtain true peace of mind knowing that their investment has been scrutinized, and sellers know that they got a fair price for the quality of home they’re selling.

A home inspection doesn’t cost a lot of money, maybe $500 in extreme cases, so think about the small investment you’re making into a home that costs exponentially more. When buying a home it’s usually best to spend a little bit of money up front to make sure your oceanview home is as safe as possible.