Buying a new home is a big deal, right? Definitely! Buyers need to get a home inspection. Of course. But wait! What about all the things home inspectors will not tell you? That’s what you have me for my friends. Let’s get started!
1. “Never buy a home without a home inspection.”
First on our list of things home inspectors will not tell you is a bit tricky. Now follow this. Getting a home inspection is the right thing to do… most of the time. Whoa, wait a second Tre, why wouldn’t it always be the right thing to do?!
I’m glad you asked, here’s why.
If the occasion arises that the home buyer is in a competitive, multiple-offer situation, removing the home inspection from the table may be just the thing that takes your offer to the top of the stack and gets you the dream home.
First, are we talking about a unique property that may be impossible to find anywhere else? Second, is the listing price so incredibly low that you’ll have extra money to take care of any unforeseen problems?
Once you find the best Realtor in Louisville, and you have, now you can take advantage of some powerful strategies.
2. “Because I want your Realtor to keep recommending me, I’m going to downplay every problem.”
Here’s one of the trickiest issues in all real estate. Did you know, that the only recommendation a Realtor makes that could land him in serious hot water is the home inspector? Yup. It’s big time.
Every other recommendation comes with a very small amount of potential trouble, but if a Realtor tells you to only use this one home inspector and won’t let you pick your own… run for the hills!
Every occupation has the potential to have collusion. Here’s one that I would guess happens every day, in every city.
3. “New construction homes don’t need a home inspection.”
What? Yeah, right… this is definitely one of those things home inspectors won’t tell you. They want more business and to be honest, even new construction homes have issues sometimes.
The good news is that the builder will almost always correct these problems at no additional cost. So for several hundred dollars, you’ll get additional peace of mind knowing things are in the best possible condition before you move in.
4. “I can get a kickback from my buddy when I find certain problems.”
Home inspectors often come from the building industry. When they change professions they still retain contacts who specialize in electrical, plumbing, and other home improvement fields.
If the inspector finds a problem, they can bring up the name of a company and recommend the buyer call them. Then if things go well, the inspector can get some money on the back end. One hand washes the other, right?
And honestly, it could be acceptable to the buyer just as long as, A) the problem is truly a problem, and B) the company fixing it does a good job.
5. “Follow me around when I do my inspection.”
It’s truly up to the buyer to watch the inspector do his thing. You can learn a great deal about the inner workings of houses by following the home inspector around your potential home for three to four hours.
Most inspectors would prefer not to have their customer disrupting their routine but if they’re good, they should be fine with it.
Another option would be to arrive towards the end when there’s enough time for the inspector to show the most troubling issues in the property. Bring a notepad and jot down some things to talk over with your Realtor. If you want your Realtor there to, that’s up to you! The client is king.
6. “I don’t actually have a license to be a home inspector.”
This should not happen here in Kentucky but it could. Anyone can build a website and call themselves a “home inspector.” Ask your Realtor to recommend quality professionals, who’ve been in the business for a reasonable amount of time.
And don’t be afraid to ask to see their license. If they’ve got a problem with that, it’s a bad sign from the get-go.
If you’re interested, here’s more information about what is required to be a home inspector in Kentucky.
7. “I’m going to pick this place apart!”
The home inspector is not going to tell you upfront that he’s going to find so many problems there’s no way you’ll buy the house. But that’s exactly what some inspectors actually do.
The name of the game is context.
Let’s be real, some homes are complete disasters, that should be torn down. But that’s the rare exception.
Most homes have a normal amount of problems that can be corrected with a reasonable amount of money. But there are a few inspectors (I can give you names!) that will tell buyers that there are so many problems they shouldn’t buy the home so that they can be hired again for another inspection down the road.
8. “You don’t need any other experts.”
Even the best home inspectors aren’t true experts in every facet of the home. If the home inspector notes that something is going on with the furnace, for instance, it pays to have an HVAC expert on-site to diagnose the true problem accurately. Jack of all trades, master of none… that’s what home inspectors are.
There are also areas of the home that are not “readily accessible” and don’t get the watchful eye of the inspector. Depending on the situation, the buyer may want another expert to truly check things out.
