House Inspections Before a Sale

Before you finalize your house purchase, be sure the house is in good condition. Here are the first steps to take.

Inspecting the physical condition of a house is an important part of the home-buying process. In some states, such as California, buyers are aided by laws requiring sellers to disclose considerable information about not only the condition of the house itself but also potential hazards to the house from floods, earthquakes, fires and the environment. Whether or not the seller provides these disclosures, you should have the property inspected -- at a minimum, to look for defects or malfunctions in the building's structure, such as the roof, plumbing or foundation.

You should first conduct your own inspection. Ideally, you should do this before you make a formal written offer so that you can save yourself the trouble, should you find serious problems. There are several useful do-it-yourself inspection books available.

In addition to inspecting the house yourself, hire a general contractor to inspect all major house systems, from top to bottom, including the roof, plumbing, electrical and heating systems, foundation and drainage. This will take two or three hours and cost you anywhere from $200 to $500, depending on the location, size, age and type of home. Accompany the inspector during the examination, so that you can learn more about the maintenance and preservation of the house and get answers to any questions you may have, including what problems are important and which are relatively minor. Depending on the property, you may want to arrange specialized inspections for pest damage; hazards from floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters; and environmental health hazards such as mold, asbestos and lead.

Professional inspections should be done after your written purchase offer has been accepted by the seller (which should be contingent on your approving the results of one or more inspections). Be sure you get a written report of all inspections.

If the house is in good shape, you can proceed, knowing that you're getting what you paid for. If the inspections bring problems to light -- such as an antiquated plumbing system or major termite damage -- you can negotiate to have the seller pay for necessary repairs, or you can back out of the deal, assuming your contract is properly written to allow you to do so.

Tips on Choosing a Home Inspector
A reliable personal recommendation is the best way to find a home inspector. As the buyer, you want someone who will be thorough and tough, not someone who is willing to overlook small problems.

Be careful about asking your real estate agent for a referral. After all, your agent is almost surely anxious that your deal go through and therefore may recommend an inspector not overly persnickety about identifying problems. Make sure your real estate agent knows you want an inspector who is especially thorough. You might also ask a real estate professional not connected with your sale whom she would hire to inspect a house she was buying.

You can get local referrals and valuable FAQs about home inspections from the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) at www.ashi.com. Inspectors who are members of ASHI must pass technical exams, meet specific standards of practice and, as a condition of membership, are not permitted to do contracting work.

You'll want to get at least two or three specific bids from reliable home inspectors who have been highly recommended. You want the work done well, so you don't necessarily want to accept the cheapest bid. Before finally deciding whom to hire, get several references and check the status of each individual's license and any outstanding complaints with state licensing agencies. Check with your state consumer protection agency.

Be sure to ask the inspector about their liability insurance coverage, including "errors and omissions" (E & O) or malpractice insurance that covers inspector negligence.

Copyright 2004 Nolo