A home inspection is a visual examination of a residential unit (typically a house or an apartment) for the purposes of identifying any underlying issues it might have. They are performed by trained experts and are considered to be a vital part of the home buying and selling process.

In other words, whether you’re looking to purchase or sell a property, performing a home inspection is the only way to ensure you’re “playing with a full deck.” Failing to do so may lead to an uninformed business decision that has the potential to set you back financially for decades to come.

Whether you’re looking to purchase a property, or you’re a seller considering a pre-listing home inspection in San Diego, you can benefit from learning a few tried-and-true home inspection tips. Keep reading to learn more. 

How do I get the most out of my home inspection?

According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, 90% of homeowners firmly believe that home inspections are a necessary part of the home buying process. What’s less well-known is what exactly a home inspection entails and how to properly incorporate it into the home selling or purchasing process. 

Here are three things you need to keep in mind:

Make the inspection official

The buyer should work with their agent to ensure the home inspection is placed into the contract as a contingency clause. This gives them a set amount of time (usually 10-14 days) to perform a home inspection before a purchase offer is signed. 

This way, if the home inspection uncovers serious problems with the property, the buyer can back down and get their earnest money back. Sellers can prevent this problem by performing a pre-listing inspection and either fixing serious issues beforehand, or reducing their asking price.

Don’t set your expectations too high

Always remember that a home inspection is primarily a visual examination. This means inspectors can’t do things like examine the piping or wiring inside the walls, break open the floor to check for internal water damage, or move large furniture around to get at hard-to-reach areas. 

Furthermore, every home has problems (especially if it’s more than a decade old) and putting together a list of minor issues that don’t impact the final price is a waste of everyone’s time. Your inspector’s job is to assess the home’s condition, and to do that they must focus on the big picture. 

Don’t forget specialty inspections

You want to know everything there is to know about the property in question before you buy it or put it up for sale. Before any legally binding documents are signed, consider performing “ancillary inspections”.

These inspections are designed to detect problems such as pest infestations, electrical inspections, and more. They’re normally performed by specialty inspectors, but some general inspectors may have the skill set needed to provide them. 

If you’re unsure whether a home needs an ancillary inspection, your best course of action is to call a reputable home inspection company and ask. 

Where can I book a reliable pre-listing home inspection in San Diego?

Are you looking to sell an attractive property near the Santa Fe Depot? Or perhaps you’re looking to buy a house in Coronado? Regardless of what your situation may be, you shouldn’t sign any contracts until you know everything there is to know about the property in question. 

We can help you with that. Here at Inspectors Company, we boast the expertise, the experience, and the cutting-edge equipment needed to perform top-of-the-line inspections on residential properties of all types and sizes. Get in touch with us today. 

When buying or selling a home in America, it’s considered common practice to have the place examined by a home inspection expert. The goal is to get a professional assessment of the property’s condition before any legally binding documents are signed. 

Conducting a home inspection before selling or buying an apartment or a house is in everyone’s best interest. By identifying any important problems a given property may have, both the buyer and the seller are able make informed decisions and avoid unpleasant surprises. 

But how do you prepare for a home inspection? If a seller had the property examined by pre-listing home inspectors in San Diego, do they need to disclose these findings to prospective buyers? Read on to learn the answers to these common home inspection questions. 

What should I do before a home inspection?

Aside from hiring an inspector and showing up at the property on time, buyers don’t have to do anything special to get ready for the inspection. On the other hand, there are quite a few things a seller can and should do to facilitate the home inspection. 

Some major things include:

• Cleaning the house. A spotless house is not only easier to navigate, it also leaves a great impression on potential buyers and prevents unexpected problems. The last thing you want is for a deal to fall through because the buyer thinks you haven’t been cleaning the house regularly.
• Leaving the utilities connected. Certified home inspectors leave no rock unturned. They will run the dishwasher, turn on the stove, test the air conditioning and the furnace, and more. If these utilities are disconnected, the inspector may be forced to reschedule. 
• Declutter. Remove items that may make it difficult to navigate the house or limit access to the furnace, water heater, or air conditioner. The inspector will need 3-4 feet of working space in order to examine these items, so keep that in mind while decluttering. 

Does the seller have to disclose previous inspection?

Federal law requires sellers to disclose the presence of any known lead-based paints in the home, provide the buyer with an EPA-published pamphlet on lead-based paint, and get and keep a signed statement from the buyer saying that these disclosure requirements were completed.

Aside from that, there are no nationwide laws on what exactly the seller is required to disclose. Since every state has its own regulations, your best course of action is to consult your home inspection company of choice. 

Common disclosures include:

• Mold infestations and water damage. In addition to being upfront about basement floods or leaks in the roof, the seller must also notify the buyer about what (if anything) was done to remedy these problems. 
• Pest infestations. The presence of rats, cockroaches, and especially termites and carpenter ants can be a serious problem and needs to be disclosed. As with water damage, the buyers also have to be told about any measures that were taken to remedy the issue.
• Insurance claims and major repairs are another thing the buyers need to know about. This includes repairs performed by previous owners. 

Where can I hire dependable pre-listing home inspectors in San Diego?

Let’s say there’s a highly desirable property near the UC San Diego School of Medicine that you wish to sell or purchase. No matter how eager you may be to close the deal, rushing into it without complete information can easily result in a financial transaction that you’ll regret for the rest of your life. 

Inspectors Company is here to help. By conducting first-rate home inspections, we can provide you, our client, with the crucial data you need to make an objective, financially sound decision. Give us a call today.