Why Inspect A Home Yourself Before Using A Certified Home Inspector

Posted on June 1, 2009
Filed Under Home care | Leave a Comment

Panama City Real Estate – Article

When the time is right for you to buy a home, hiring a certified home inspector is an important step. The job of an inspector is to not only determine the condition of the house, but also give advice on areas of the home that can be improved upon.

Any issues raised by the home inspection can become negotiating points. Home inspectors can help you in protecting your purchase and may also help you get a better deal. There are areas you can inspect for yourself initially, but you need to have a keen eye and a proper checklist!

Before you begin your walk-through of the home, make sure you have a home inspection checklist with you. This will help you make a thorough inspection. There could be over a hundred items included on a good checklist. Without this list, you would surely forget certain things as you walk through the property.

A well constructed list will be separated by areas of the house. Start outside. Walk around the property and look for signs of cracked exterior walls, leaning chimney, damaged roof, unsafe railings, etc.

Make sure you take notes.

For instance, if you notice down spouts that are not draining far enough away from the home take a note of it as that information could become useful later on.

The interior of the home will be separated into areas on your list. These may be made up of plumbing, electrical, heating, basement, finishes, etc.

You do not need to be experienced in the construction industry. Just pay attention to things that are obviously not what they should be. These things can be pointed out to the inspector when you come back for your professional home inspection.

Most home buyers will place a condition of home inspection on their offer to buy a home. This is a great way to protect your money and it also gives you a bargaining chip to re-negotiate the selling price if the home inspection discovers major issues.

If you do lower your offer make sure it is reflective of the issues found. Most sellers are willing to negotiate but do not presume to get too much as the asking price probably took into account the issues of the home in the beginning.

In a multiple offer situation, you may want to consider a home inspection done before you present an offer. Some buyers may have a hard time spending the money without any assurance of getting the house.

But it can put you in a better bargaining position if your offer now has fewer conditions. You can then close the deal more rapidly if you offer is the one that is accepted.

Noticing that the roof is in need of attention or that the railing on the porch is loose does not need the eyes of a professional builder.

You can remove a lot of homes from your list that may not be right for you simply by doing your own initial inspection of a home.

By using a checklist in your initial inspection you will be able to make a more informed and unbiased opinion based on facts rather than simply the decor. Your walk-through of the home should only be the start and you need to consult an expert home inspector who can give you more insight and a comprehensive written report.

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For additional information on the Panama City Florida real estate market, contact us directly…

The Panama City Real Estate Team
sales@thepanamacityrealestateteam.com
850-774-6582
www.thepanamacityrealestateteam.com

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