A home inspection is a visual examination process that is meant to identify any and all damages and potential issues a home may have. By hiring an experienced San Diego home inspector, buyers make sure that they have a highly trained expert on their side who can aid them in reaching the best buying decision.

A quality home inspection service in California also gives sellers an opportunity to deal with any problems before potential buyers even look at the property. This ensures a higher asking price and easier negotiations.

Carefully consider your coming home inspection

A home inspection takes time both before and during the inspection day. Making the effort to correctly prepare for it will make the entire process a lot less stressful. It will also help you avoid common home inspection pitfalls that can cause needless and expensive complications later on.

Selling or buying a home is a serious investment that is going to affect you for many years to come, so it’s a good idea to arm yourself with as much information as possible. Read on to learn more about the details of the home inspection process and how a reliable home inspection can greatly simplify your life.

How much is a home inspection?

It’s impossible to put a one-size-fits-all price tag on home inspections due to the fact that no two home inspections are exactly the same. Each house is affected differently by things like moisture, land type, previous owner’s habits, etc., and these in turn differ based on the area the home is located in. This makes every home inspection unique in its own way.

The main thing to consider is the size of the property being inspected. It goes without saying that examining a studio apartment generally costs less than doing the same for a single family home.

Multi-unit properties or large estates command the highest price and require the most thorough inspections. Some clients are only interested in mold testing, which has its own separate price range.

Who pays for a home inspection?

A home inspection is always paid for by the party that hired the home inspector. For example, if the seller hired the inspector, the seller pays. That being said, the majority of inspectors are hired by buyers who want to have an expert consultant at their side during the buying process.

Aside from a few safety-related regulations, there is no law in San Diego that requires extensive pre-sale repairs. Yet just as sellers aren’t compelled to mend holes in the floor or replace broken faucets, the buyers are also not under any obligation to actually buy the home in question.

Sellers are advised to have the property examined by a professional inspector before making a sale listing. This way, they can deal with any major defects before potential buyers even see the property.

Do you need to be present at the inspection?

In theory, personally attending your home inspection isn’t required and your interests can be represented by your agent. In practice, being there for the inspection gives you a crucial opportunity to ask vital questions and get repair cost estimates on the spot.

Certain types of repairs can cost a fortune, and be even more expensive than the home itself. This is especially true of serious plumbing or foundation defects. Knowing about them right away can greatly affect your buying decision, or your asking price if you’re selling.

Schedule around the inspection

It’s important to note that home inspections can take a long time, especially if the property being inspected is a large one. Devote at least half a day to the inspection. Do not rush the process, as that is a great way to miss critical issues that can cause considerable monetary losses and other complications at a later date.

Who pays for repairs after home inspection?

There are no set rules when it comes to who pays for repairs or even if they get done at all. Certain repairs are negotiable with the seller, while the buyer will have to take care of others as the eventual homeowner.

The home inspector will identify what requires repairs and supply a cost estimate. This helps the buyer and any other people at the home inspection, such as the buyer’s spouse, reach a more informed buying decision.

Still, there are certain safety concerns that need to be taken care of by the seller before a home can be lawfully sold to a buyer. Exactly what types of damage are covered in this way depends on local state laws and regulations. California State Law uses a list of disclosures required of a seller and/or real estate broker/agent to fully inform the buyer of any significant issues a home may have.

Who organizes repairs after a home inspection?

The seller and the buyer will often come to an agreement that certain repairs need to be done. In this case, sellers are advised to cover the estimated costs of any necessary repairs, but not to conduct them themselves.

 

This avoids delays or extra repairs that are needed due to the buyer being dissatisfied with the quality of the first round of repairs done by the seller. By letting the buyer choose the repair contractor and organize the repairs, the seller ensures that the buyer will receive exactly the repairs they want.

The finest home inspectors in San Diego

Have you found a beautiful home near the San Diego Museum of Art that seems perfect for you and your family? Or perhaps you’re the owner of this home and you’re looking to maximize your asking price? Here at Inspectors Company Inc., we provide dependable home inspection services that can aid you in getting the most out of your home purchase or sale.

Our personnel are all InterNACHI certified and equipped with first-rate home inspection tools and software. We make it our mission to thoroughly inform each client about the details of the property they’re thinking of buying or selling.

If you need further information or you have any additional questions about our service, feel free to get in touch with us today.

We rarely think of them that way, but modern homes are marvels of engineering and construction. Unless you have a background in construction-related trade, you probably lack the expertise needed to extensively inspect a home and should consider hiring the best home inspection San Diego can provide. Unfortunately, what people who strive to avoid common home inspection errors rarely consider is the question of who attends a home inspection and how long a home inspection takes.

Selling or buying a house safely requires thorough understanding of its many elements and how they pertain to you. Should the seller be there? What about the real estate agent? What if the buyer is unable to attend? Can the buyer’s family members be there? Isn’t picking the right home inspector and looking at their home inspection report later enough to ensure everything is done correctly?

Buyers should decide who attends a home inspection

Real estate agents are normally the ones who coordinate home inspections. However, since it’s usually the buyer who hires a home inspector, circumstances often override the real estate agent’s preferences. Furthermore, at the end of the day, a buyer is a potential customer, and a customer is always right.

Buyers should be allowed to bring friends, relatives, or their buying agent along for the inspection. This is fully within their rights because, after all, they’re considering a large investment that will have massive potential effects on their life. Needless to say, any seller or real estate agent who attempts to limit the number of people a buyer can bring with them for the inspection is highly suspect and should be seen as a red flag.

What if a buyer can’t be there?

Sometimes a buyer is unable to attend the inspection or even send somebody in their place. This may be due to work obligations, living too far away, or having some other issue that prevents them from traveling. In this case, the person who attends a home inspection in their stead will probably be their buying agent.

In certain situations, the buyer’s agent will deliberately advise the buyer against attending the inspection and appoint himself or herself as an intermediary. Any agent who suggest such an arrangement clearly isn’t acting in the best interest of his or her client, and should be avoided.

What about sellers?

While buyers can’t prevent the sellers from being present during the inspection, it’s rarely advisable. Best case scenario, the buyer will be unable to relax and have a private conversation with the inspector and/or other people they brought along while the seller is there. Worst case scenario, a seller who attends a home inspection will keep engaging the buyer in conversation or shadowing the inspector every step of the way. Emotional exchanges between sellers and buyers have stopped many home buying deals in their tracks.

Professional, affordable, and reliable home inspections

Here at Inspection Company Inc., it is our mission to provide you with the best price for your home inspection. We go out of our way to inform each client about every detail of the sale or purchase they’re making in order to help them reach the best possible decision. Call us today, and take full advantage of our InterNACHI certified professional home inspectors.

A home inspection is an invaluable process for both buyers and sellers. But in order to be effective, it requires a trained eye that knows what signs of hidden damage and potential issues to look for. Having trained inspection experts from a San Diego inspection company on your side can ensure a successful transaction and prevent common home inspection mistakes that result in endless complications later on. In this article, we will discuss some of the typical mistakes people make during inspections and how best to avoid them.

Don’t skip the research

A home inspection can have long term consequences in your life, which is why you should take the time to acquaint yourself with the home inspection process. When it comes to things to watch out for when choosing a home inspector, looking at their business history is definitely at the top of the list. How many years have they been active in the home inspection industry? How many inspections have they conducted?

What about their inspectors? Exactly who performs home inspections in this company? What certifications do they have? Do they have an education or experience in contracting, building, or any other construction based business? Can they communicate well? After all, avoiding home inspection mistakes isn’t very useful if the inspector lacks the ability to effectively explain hers or his findings to you.

Be present at the inspection

While personally attending your home inspection isn’t a requirement, missing it is highly inadvisable regardless of whether you’re buying or selling. Not only does this give you a critical opportunity to ask questions, the inspector can also provide you with repair cost estimates for whatever problems you might find, as well as inform you about the overall cost of your home inspection. This way you can avoid buying a home that would cost too much to fully repair or, if you’re selling, invest in small repairs that can drastically raise your asking price.

Keep in mind that a home inspection can take as much as half a day, so make sure to organize your schedule around it. Never try to rush an inspection, as that can lead to all kinds of home inspection mistakes and oversights that may create considerable losses at a later date. Word of warning: an inspector who advises you against attending the inspection yourself is highly suspect and should be avoided.

Don’t skim over the report

When written by a dependable home inspection company, an inspection report is a thorough document that carefully lists the home’s every weakness and strengths. Top inspectors will also provide photographs, and set aside the time to personally explain their observations to you. Taking the time to absorb such vital information is one of the most important things you can do regardless of whether you’re buying or selling. Give it the attention it deserves.

The best way to avoid home inspection mistakes

As with all things in life, getting assistance from tried and tested professionals is the most reliable way to ensure everything gets done right. Here at Inspectors Company Inc., we take pride in our professionalism, efficiency, and affordability of our home inspection service. All our inspectors are InterNACHI certified, and equipped with high end inspection tools and software. Reach out to us today and we’ll make sure your home is inspected with the care and effectiveness it deserves.