The goal of a home inspection is to determine whether the property you’re thinking of buying or selling has problems that may impact your final decision. If your San Marcos home inspector doesn’t find any serious issues, you can breathe a sigh of relief and proceed with the sale. 

Sometimes, however, a home inspection uncovers serious problems that require costly repairs and may even endanger the lives of the residents. If the buyer is still interested in purchasing the property, they’ll have to negotiate repairs with the seller, or demand a lower asking price so as to cover the repair costs.

In the following article, we’ll give you an overview of what you can expect in case your home inspection discovers damages that can’t be overlooked. Keep reading to learn more.

How long does the seller have to agree to repairs?

Your home inspector will give you a verbal estimate of how much the repairs would cost and (in case of severe problems) whether full restoration is even possible. All these problems will be described in the official home inspection report that your inspector will send you after the inspection. 

At this point, the buyer should compile a list of repairs they feel the seller should make before the property can be sold. Buyers are advised to focus on the big defects and not sweat the small problems that can easily be fixed down the road. 

Standard purchase contracts give the seller 48 hours to respond to a repair request. This is by no means set in stone, seeing as real estate agents are free to allocate more or less time based on their judgement and prior agreement with their clients. 

What happens if the seller does not complete repairs?

Sometimes, the seller agrees to do the requested repairs, but then ends up doing repair work that’s not complete, not up to code, or different from what was agreed on. Do not proceed with the deal until this issue is resolved. The last thing you want is to try to get a seller to finish the repairs after they’ve already taken your money. 

You can avoid this problem by:

• Visiting the property multiple times and performing a re-inspection before closing to make sure everything is in order,
• Having a well-written contract and repair agreement,
• Creating a clause in the contract that compels the seller to pay for the re-inspection if the repairs aren’t performed correctly or on time,
• Getting the receipts for the completed repairs before doing a re-inspection (the seller is required to provide receipt copies according to the NEFAR contract),
• Requiring the seller to send you photos or videos of the completed repairs before scheduling a re-inspection,
• Refusing to close the deal before the repairs are done. 

What if the seller can’t afford to make repairs?

Some sellers won’t agree to repairs not because they disagree with them, but rather because they lack the necessary funds to do so. This is often the reason why they’re selling the property in the first place.

If this is the case, the buyer and the seller should choose a vendor that can provide the repairs, and then subtract the cost of those repairs from the final asking price. This allows the deal to proceed in a way that doesn’t require the seller to take a loan to cover repair expenses. 

Where can I hire a first-in-class San Marcos home inspector?

Let’s say there’s a property in Lake San Marcos that you’re thinking of buying or selling. Unless you work in construction, the only way to ensure the place doesn’t have any serious problems and meets all relevant safety standards is to enlist the services of a top-notch home inspector.

That’s where Inspectors Company comes in. Every inspector on our team is fully licensed, highly experienced, and has access to state-of-the-art home inspection software. Call us today.

Unless you’re extremely wealthy, selling or purchasing a home is likely one of the most significant business decisions you’ll make in your life. As such, it must be approached with utmost care in order to prevent serious financial losses at a later date.

That’s where San Marcos home inspectors come in. Home inspectors are trained experts who specialize in performing in-depth visual examinations on houses, apartments, condos, and other residential properties. They are able to quickly identify problems with a given property, suggest possible home repairs, and advise you on how to proceed.

But how do these inspections work exactly? Which types of properties need home inspections? Should you do re-inspections, or is one inspection enough? We’ll address some of these common home inspection questions in this article. Read on. 

What inspections should be done when buying a home?

The seller should have an inspection performed on the property prior to listing it for sale. This allows them to deal with any problems (or adjust their asking price) before prospective buyers see it. Also, it identifies any safety-related concerns that could prevent the home from being legally sold. 

The buyer should have at least one inspection done. If repairs are necessary, and the seller agrees to make them, the buyer should then schedule a second inspection that takes place after all repairs have been completed. This ascertains that the seller has fulfilled their end of the bargain and that the deal can proceed.

Is it necessary to have a home inspection on new construction?

One of the most common misconceptions of all time is that “new” means the same thing as “flawless”. Unfortunately, just because something is brand new doesn’t guarantee that it’s well-made or that it doesn’t have unexpected problems. 

New construction isn’t an exception. Sub-par designs, cheap materials, and shoddy workmanship are just some of the many reasons why brand new homes can fail to perform as expected. In worst cases, these defects can result in structural collapses that may cause grievous harm to the occupants.

No matter how good a place looks, always approach it with caution and never be in a rush to close the deal. Having the property examined by a licensed home inspector is the only way to ensure it doesn’t hide serious faults that can’t be solved in a timely or cost-effective manner. 

What does a home inspection entail?

A home inspection is a visual examination of a given property. Your inspector will walk through the home and examine the place as they go along, all the while writing down notes and commenting on what they see. This process can take anywhere from an hour or two, to an entire afternoon (in case of large properties).

What’s in the home inspection report?

The home inspection report is an official document that contains a comprehensive list of the inspector’s findings. It’s typically written and delivered to you within 48 hours after the inspection.

What if I don’t understand my home inspection report?

No worries. Your inspector will arrange a meeting with you after you’ve had the time to familiarize yourself with your report. During this meeting, they will explain their findings in an easy-to-understand way. 

Can any home be inspected?

Of course. Home inspectors are trained to examine all types of residential properties. Whether the place is a new apartment or an old house, or whether it’s located coastside or near the Old California Restaurant Row, makes zero difference to an inspector. 

Where can I find dependable San Marcos home inspectors?

Knowledge is power, as the old saying goes. Nowhere is this as true as it is in business. By having a home inspector supply you with in-depth data about the property you’re planning to buy or sell, you’ll prevent yourself from making a bad business deal. 

That’s where the leading provider of home inspection services in San Marcos, Inspectors Company, comes in. Our impressive track record is rivaled only by our commitment to rendering the best possible service to our clients. Contact us today.