Learn About Home Inspection From the Buyer's Perspective

For the majority of people, the purchase of a home is the most important financial liability they will incur in their lifetime. It makes perfect sense that home buyers protect their financial commitment by requiring a home inspection. When purchasing a new property, home inspection is critical. While inspecting, an inspector will tour the home carefully in order to assess its physical condition. One important feature to remember about home inspections and buying a home is that it is essential to make your offer on a property subject to the results of the home inspection. This indicates that if the inspection reveals some major problems with the property, you can withdraw your offer without penalty.

The Inspection Procedure: What to Expect

While conducting a home inspection, the inspector will take an extensive and meticulous look at the property to assess its physical condition-but be aware that this is very distinct from an appraisal. The home inspector will be able to tell you all about what kind of condition the property is in, but will not give you with an estimate of its value.

During the inspection process, the inspector will study everything in the home and assess the condition of its structure, plumbing, construction, electrical systems and other aspects of the home, to ascertain whether any structures or systems require repair or even replacement. The inspector will evaluate as well the longevity of the home, taking into account the structural features and plumbing, electrical and other systems, and determine how much functional life each feature has remaining. A home inspection will generally take at least two hours, but of course this is contingent on the size of the home. Typically, you might anticipate an inspection to take about an hour for every thousand square feet of property. Once the inspection is complete, you should receive a written report of the inspector's discoveries within seven days.

Crucial Questions to Ask a Home Inspector

Before you employ a home inspector, it is prudent to ask key questions to make sure you are getting an inspector you can trust to carry out a thorough inspection of your potential property.

• What does the inspection cover?




• How long have you been an inspector, and how many inspections have you done?




• Are you an experienced residential inspector?




• Do you belong to any state or national associations?




• How long will the inspection take to finish?




• What do you charge?




• How soon will the inspection report be available after the inspection is complete?




• Will I be allowed to be present during the inspection?

These are all important questions to aid in ensuring that your inspector has the experience required to thoroughly probe the property which may become your home. Make a point of asking if you may attend the inspection-a refusal from the home inspector is certainly a warning sign, and attending the inspection is a great opportunity to learn about your likely new home, from an expert.