When buying or selling a property, a home inspection will most likely reveal flaws. However, who’s responsible for getting those items fixed?
A home inspection is among the final obstacles to clear before closing on a new home. It’s not mandatory. However, it will inform you about needed repairs—whether big or small.
It’s important to have a home inspected to ensure that it will remain safe and comfortable after you buy it. Also, a home inspection may reveal items that you’ll need to address as it relates to the cost of the property.
To learn how to get help fixing issues after a home inspection, keep reading.
To Buy or Not to Buy: Get Help or Pass?
Finding direction after issues come to light during the home inspection process can prove challenging. The right real estate agent can help you to address this issue.
However, it’s better for you to have an idea of how to get help after finding problems. A knowledgeable home buyer or seller can make better-informed decisions.
As a seller, a pre-listing inspection can help you to sell your home faster. It can also help you to avoid a home inspection nightmare. Nothing’s worse than finding a buyer quickly and then having the sale grind to a halt because your property has major flaws.
Fortunately, a home inspection will provide you with a great deal of information about a property. The inspection will include photos and descriptions of everything that the inspector assesses. Most importantly, however, it will highlight any defects found with the property.
Working With a Great Home Inspector
An exceptional home inspection service will categorize property defects. This report will tell you what problems you must address to ensure that the home is safe.
It will also inform you what items require expert repair. Furthermore, the report will highlight minor things that can wait for repair at a later date.
A thorough home inspection is a guide. It will help you to prioritize issues with a potential property.
From a legal standpoint, there is nothing that a seller must fix to sell their home. However, a good realtor will advise a buyer to request that a seller fix certain things before buying a property.
These items don’t include cosmetic defects that you can fix easily. They also don’t include products of normal wear and tear.
Alternatively, a lender might require certain repairs before issuing a loan for a residence. There is a big difference between repairs that you want and the repairs needed to secure a loan.
If a bank isn’t satisfied with the results of the inspection, they can deny financing. In some instances, you may need to require certain repairs to secure funding for your new home. Otherwise, the deal may fall through.
Assessing the Home Inspection
Once the inspector completes the assessment, they’ll send you a report. It’s critical to make full use of the inspector’s evaluation. Accordingly, you should always read the entire home inspection report.
Once you’ve read the report fully, you can decide your course of action. After reading the report, there are a few things you can do.
For example, you can decide to walk away from the sale. Alternatively, you can move forward with the purchase or sale of the home.
If you’re a buyer, you may not feel that some problems are worth starting a new search for the right place to live. In that case, you might ask for a price reduction based on the cost of fixing any problems found during the inspection.
Weighing Repair Options
You could ask the seller to pay for repairs. However, the seller may not want to pay for all the things you want them to fix.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to start with the most problematic issues. Once you’ve settled that part of the negotiation, you can move on to other items you’d like them to repair.
A home inspection is also ideal if you plan to purchase a home warranty. When you shop for a warranty, you should bring your home inspection report along.
Typically, the warranty will not cover the problems found in the inspection if you don’t repair them before you purchase the policy. Either way, it’s important to review the terms and pricing of a home warranty carefully.
Finding Common Ground
When purchasing a home, you should always make a reasonable offer. However, you should ensure that you have a contingency for any repairs. This contingency will ensure that you’re not bound to the contract if you can’t come to an agreement with the seller regarding flaws found after a home inspection.
A repair contingency will provide you with negotiating power. In some cases, it may offset the cost of the property or help you to receive credit toward the cost of closing. For this reason and others, it’s always a good idea to order a home inspection.
When someone sells their home, they’re typically ready to leave the property behind. More than likely, they’re not interested in making repairs before they transfer ownership.
Instead of trying to persuade a homeowner to make repairs, it’s probably easier to ask for a cashback credit at the close. You can use the credit to complete repairs once you close the deal.
Furthermore, this arrangement will reduce the need to keep checking whether the seller made the repairs correctly. It can also help you to close on the property faster.
The Silver Lining in Finding Problems After a Home Inspection
If you learn there are problems with a home after an inspection, you shouldn’t automatically let those issues sour you on the deal. Instead, think of those flaws as added negotiating leverage.
A home inspection can give you more confidence in your purchase. However, it can also help you negotiate the sale price of your new home. With a home inspection, you can gain momentum in negotiating down the cost of your new purchase.
Some homeowners even look for homes with flaws. This practice allows them to purchase larger properties with more land, footage, and amenities while paying less.
The Right Inspector Can Make a Big Difference!
Now you know more about where to get help after finding fault with a home inspection. What you need now is a reliable and highly experienced home inspector.
CLASS Home Inspection is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors. We have over 30 years of experience in claims adjustment and home repair. You can count on our eye for detail and a willingness to go the extra mile to make sure that you know everything possible about your new home.
Contact CLASS Home Inspection today at (440) 812-3051 or connect with us online to schedule an inspection. We’re ready and waiting to give you the information that you need to make an informed buying decision.