inspections?

[Eric]

oh man... reading some of these horror stories has got me pretty scared about buying a pre-owned house. Since I'm completely new to the process, and very naive, can you guys tell me what's involved w/ getting a house you're looking at inspected? What do you look for in a Co. or person doing the inspecting? How much does it cost? Can it be tied into the loan or price of the house? Please forgive me if these are stupid questions... I just don't want to learn the hard way & about all I know is from watching those shows on TLC & HGTV :P

[grumpydasmurf]

Trust me new houses can be just as bad sometimes worse. Bottom line is this: know what your buying. Have your house inspected. Ask your realtor for a referral to a good inspector. COnsider calling two inspectors out so you have two points of view.

I know in IL inspectors have to be licensed by the state. There are also certifications they can obtain.

Maybe ask the inspector for a sample report. I have seen typed professional reports with pictures and captions. I've also seen hand written crap that I wouldn't whipe my... oh you get the point. :)

[roger g]

It's like buying anything else. Sometimes you buy a pair of pants and the zipper doesn't work or the car has a rattle. All you can do is learn as much as you can and with each house you buy you learn more.
I've owned quite a few places and one time I looked at a small house at night and thought it had aluminum siding. We put in an offer and it was accepted. A few days later I drive by it and see that it is wood siding just painted. I was not impressed. No one has all the answers.

Roger

[Rich]

Very true grumpy. Just like there is a wide range of ability in anything - also pertains to home inspectors. I've done a few of these myself and charged $150.. but I know that some people get upwards of $600. But for $600 you better get the moisture content of the framing lumber.. haha.
Grumpy said it perfect - "know what you're buying". If you don't know - get a professional opinion. An engineer is not out of the question if there are serious issues found from your home inspection.

[oreo123]

Do not use any inspector that the selling realtor suggests. You want one who is working for YOU and not one that will say there are no problems so the house is more likely to sell. You are better off using the yellow pages to find an inspector if you don't know one. Don't forget to ask for things like: radon, roof condition, attic and basement for mold. structural, boiler, is there fine thread brass plumbing, 2 or 3 wire electrical... Don't spend time on paint colors or sqeeking doors.

[grumpydasmurf]

Good point about the realtor! Oops.

[pkbab5]

Before you sign an offer agreement or purchase contract on a house, make absolute sure that there is an inspection clause in it.

The inspection clause should state:
- The contract is contingent upon an inspection of the home that is satisfactory to the buyer.
- The buyer may inspect himself or hire his own professional, or both.
- The seller has the responsibility to have the house in condition for the inspection that the inspector deems necessary (house is open, utilities and water are on full power, not temp power, the crawl spaces are all accessable, etc.)
- The buyer has the responsibility to have the inspection done by so many days from the signing of the contract, and then has the responsibility to bring a list of desired repairs to the seller so many days after the completed inspection.
- The buyer has the option to either make the repairs stated, negotiate an alternate list of repairs, or refuse to make the repairs. If negotiation is unsuccessful and the seller refuses to make desired repairs, then the buyer can cancel the contract without penalty and receive his earnest money back.

DO NOT CLOSE ON THE HOUSE UNTIL THE MATTERS RESULTING FROM THE INSPECTION HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. If the seller says oh don't worry I'll do that, and then you close on the house, the seller can just walk away, and you can sue him, but it's sometimes very difficult to get anything done even if you win the suit.

Get your own inspector. DO NOT use an inspector recommended by the seller, the seller's agent, or the lender. It's a conflict of interests. Use an inspector you find yourself. A good inspector is one that is certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors. Here is a good place to start:
http://www.ashi.com/

Generally the cost of the inspection cannot be tied to the loan or cost of the house. It is an out of pocket expense. A good inspection usually runs a couple hundred dollars depending on the size of the house. In my personal experience, for a 1800 sq ft home we paid $250, and for a 3200 sq ft home we paid $420. This was for a heavily reccommended top of the line inspector that provided an extensive report complete with color digital photographs. They were worth every penny and even more.

One last note. Make sure you are present for the entire inspection. Follow the inspector around, make him explain everything to you, ask questions about anything, and take good notes ON PAPER as you go. Many times the inspector will give you great info on how to maintain things, how to fix things if they break, what might break when, and what quality stuff you have. These things don't usually get put into the report, so your notes are your only documentation for this.

[jjcold]

After going through the process of having a new home built, I wouldn't be at all scared to buy a pre-owned home! sometimes I think new houses are worse!!!

At least with a pre-owned home, you know what it's been through in the past few years and can probably tell how it's settled, if it leaks, concrete cracks, etc. By all means, get a good inspector. Check the yellow pages, GET REFERENCES, "interview" the inpsector, and go along during the inspection. Leave no stone unturned. a good home inpection in my area costs between $300 - 450 on average. Well worth it, even for a brand new house.

[mjpliv]

Good advice from pkbab5!