Smart property investors hire building inspectors.
Whether this is their first or fifth home mortgage, a savvy buyer would know that a home inspection is a must before signing on the dotted line. Buying a home is a significant investment. A home inspection is one way to protect that investment from unnecessary stress down the line.
Imagine paying seven digits for your dream home only to find cracks or termites a few months later. What seemed like a harmless stain on the ceiling that you thought could be covered with paint ended up becoming roof damage. The house may look great on the surface, but it’s what’s hidden under the floor, above the ceiling, and within the walls that you need to be aware of.
Only a trained inspector can go deep into the crevices and provide a complete report of the true condition of the home you intend to buy. A building inspector can also give you bargaining power if issues are discovered.
When buying a home, remember that the realtor is working for the seller, not you. Thus, they would do anything to close the deal, including hiding issues in extreme cases.
To protect you from a fraudulent sale, it is critical to invest time, money, and effort in a home inspection and ask the inspector all the right questions.
In addition to a building inspection, consider hiring a pest inspection expert to identify any serious problems before you agree to buy the property.
3 reasons to hire a property inspector from Vital
Here are three reasons why you should consider employing an inspector for your new home
1. Assess the current condition of the property.
A house inspection can give you an accurate picture of the current condition of the property. These checks can identify issues – whether major or minor – so the seller can either fix them or let the buyer walk away.
By getting a professional home inspection, the buyer will also have better leverage when negotiating a price.
For a seller, the true condition of the property provides a benchmark for accurate valuation, so there is a realistic expectation of the selling price.
2. Set clear expectations.
Before starting negotiations, you want to have an accurate value of your property. With inspection reports in hand, you can sell your house with confidence. You can easily get the buyer on the same page if you are honest about the true condition of the property you are selling.
Professional inspections also give you a good foundation for answering any questions that the buyer may ask. Thanks to the transparency of inspection reports, you can encourage buyers to make better offers and perhaps decide faster.
3. Peace of mind.
A professional property inspection means peace of mind for both buyer and seller. These reports provide you with a complete assessment of the health of your home – from plumbing to air conditioning to foundation stability.
Structurally sound properties in great condition will always fetch a higher price. However, if your inspection comes back all clear, you can provide prospective buyers with a 100% guarantee that they won’t find an issue when they move in.
On the other hand, a problematic report could turn away buyers or embolden them to drive the price down.
As a seller, you can quickly fix any problem a home inspection reveals. However, it is best to resolve these issues on your terms than have the buyer correct them on their terms, which could be more expensive and time-consuming.
You can also prevent buyers from losing interest if deal-breaking issues are revealed upon inspection.
What type of home inspection do you need when buying a home?
In addition to a pre-purchase home inspection, there are other types of inspections that you might want to consider before buying or selling a home, including:
Pest Inspection.
While a building inspector will report any visible damage from pest infestation, they will not tell you whether the pests are still there. Therefore, you will need a pest inspection, especially if the property location is vulnerable to termites.
Electrical inspections.
If the pre-purchase building inspection does not cover the electrical system, you should consider hiring a licensed electrician to inspect the circuitry.
Asbestos inspection.
If you are buying or selling an old house, an asbestos inspection is in order. Houses built in the 1960s and 1970s are known to contain asbestos which can cause serious health problems when inhaled.
Unfortunately, a regular inspection will not confirm if loose asbestos is still present on the premises. The substance cannot be detected by a visual inspection alone. Therefore, you should consider hiring a qualified asbestos assessor.
Swimming pool inspection.
If the property you are interested in buying comes with a swimming pool, you should ask a licensed inspector to check if the pool is properly fenced and meets state requirements for these structures.
What to expect about the inspection process?
A reliable property inspection company will send a qualified and experienced inspector to visit your home. The inspector will then look for structural and visual defects and identify potential hazards.
After a thorough inspection, they will provide you with a comprehensive, easy-to-read report that identifies any urgent repairs needed. Some inspectors will also provide you with an estimate of how much the repairs will cost.
When ordering a home inspection, look for registered builders who have been trained to meet Australian inspection standards. They should be knowledgeable and well-equipped to identify any issue with your property, even if it’s just minor. What may look trivial now, can become a serious safety concern later so it is important that the inspector makes you aware of everything you need to know.
By uncovering potential defects, your home inspector can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Even if you are familiar with buying properties, you will always miss something that only an experienced inspector can pick up.
If you don’t conduct a home inspection before a purchase agreement, you risk buying a home that could put your family in danger. You could also set yourself back thousands of dollars in future repairs.
Hiring an exceptional property inspection company like Vital Building Inspections Sydneys will protect your valuable investment and eliminate any unexpected surprises in the future. Call us today on 0401 012 074 or email support@vitalbuildinginspection.com.au
