Buying a home can be an overwhelming experience, especially if this is the first time you’re doing it. Unfortunately, this can sometimes make it difficult for buyers to remain impartial and take all the necessary steps to ensure their desired property is really worth purchasing. 

For this reason, having the home in question examined by registered San Diego buyer’s home inspectors is critical in order to identify any issues it may have. This gives the buyers the information they need to either negotiate for repairs or a price reduction, or walk away from the deal. 

We previously explained what is examined during a home inspection and how to properly verify repairs after a home inspection. Now we’ll help you avoid a lot of grief down the road by listing the 3 biggest red flags a home inspector can uncover. Read on. 

What are red flags in a home inspection?

Every residential property has at least some problems. Most of these issues can either be ignored or fixed without the need for costly or extensive repairs. However, some defects are so severe they can dramatically reduce the value of a property or even make it unlivable. 

Here are the top 3 red flags to look out for during a home inspection:

1. The house is condemned

A home becomes condemned when the government determines it’s no longer fit to live in. This usually occurs due to unsafe housing code violations, and makes it illegal for anyone to live in this home until the owner has proven that the cited issues have been fixed.

Purchasing a condemned house is almost always a bad idea due to the considerable costs involved in bringing it to a livable standard. Even if you perform all the necessary repairs and renovations, the place may still have a lower market value than what you invested in it. 

2. Mold infestation

Black spots on the ceiling and other signs of an advanced mold infestation are often caused by deeper issues with the property, such as faulty piping or hidden leaks. Furthermore, mold should generally be removed ASAP, so if you’re seeing a lot of mold, that’s a sign the home wasn’t maintained properly. 

3. Extensive termite damage

If your home inspector finds signs of termites, you should also obtain a wood destroying organism report and have multiple contractors bid to repair the place. If major structural damage is identified, it’s probably the best for the buyer to walk away. 

Who pays for home inspection if the deal falls through?

Home inspectors provide an independent service that isn’t formally connected to the home buying process. In other words, whether the deal proceeds or falls through has no effect on your deal with your home inspector. They’ve already done what they were hired to do when they performed the inspection and provided you with the report. 

The home inspector is therefore paid by whichever party originally hired them. In the case of buyer’s home inspections, that party is the buyer. The seller only pays for the inspection if they have originally hired the inspector. 

Where can I find certified San Diego buyers home inspectors?

No matter how perfect that Sabre Springs property you’re thinking of buying or selling may seem, there’s always the possibility it could be hiding all sorts of problems. Knowing about these issues in advance is vital in order to make a good buying or selling decision. 

At Inspectors Company, we specialize in supplying our clients with the full range of home inspection services in San Diego. Our inspectors will thoroughly examine the property you’re interested in and supply you with a truly in-depth home inspection report. Contact us today. 

Modern homes are incredibly complex structures that contain numerous systems that all work together to provide us with the safety, comfort, and privacy we need. However, the more complex something is, the more likely it is to fail in some way. 

Needless to say, you want to learn about any defects and costly damages a property has before you purchase it. For this reason, it’s considered common practice in America to book a San Diego buyer’s home inspection before any binding deals are signed and especially before any money changes hands. 

In previous articles, we gave you a list of things home buyers should pay special attention to and explained why and when a home should be re-inspected. Now we’ll expand on the topic of buyer’s inspections by providing you with 3 tried-and-true tips you can use when negotiating with the seller after the inspection. Read on. 

Can you lower your offer on a house after an inspection?

Not only are buyers allowed to do this, it’s actually a common occurrence after a home inspection, provided that the inspection has identified issues that significantly impact the value of the property. 

As long as the buyer does so within their inspection objection deadline, they can either request to renegotiate the price or to have the seller perform the necessary repairs. If the problems are severe enough, or if the seller and the buyer can’t come to an agreement, this is also the point at which the buyer can decide to walk away from the deal.

What if a seller won’t budge?

Sometimes, sellers may seem completely unwilling to perform repairs or reduce their asking price. However, with some careful negotiation and realistic requests, the buyer and the seller may still be able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. 

Here are 3 time-tested tips for negotiating after a home inspection: 

1. Review the home inspection report with your real estate agent

Always send a copy of the home inspection report to your real estate agent. Seasoned agents have experience with these situations and will be able to make recommendations on what concessions or repairs you should ask for. 

2. Focus on the truly important repairs

Many buyers make the mistake of requesting the seller to fix all of the problems in the home inspection report, including small issues such as dead light bulbs or leaky showerheads that matter very little within the scope of 30 or 40 years of home ownership. 

The reality is that no home is perfect, and that sweating the small stuff only increases the risk of the deal falling through. Instead, buyers should create a list of big issues they really care about (eg., sagging foundations, faulty HVAC systems, etc.), and negotiate with the seller to have those fixed before proceeding with the deal. 

3. Get repair quotes directly from contractors

Most home inspectors don’t provide repair estimates. Buyers will need to reach out to contractors who can provide the necessary repairs, obtain written quotes from them, and share those with the seller to justify the cost of repairs or the price reduction.

Where can I book an extensive San Diego buyers home inspection?

Have you recently found a gorgeous house in Morena that seems to be the ideal place for you and your loved ones, and you want to ensure it’s really as great as it seems before you buy? Or perhaps you’re looking to sell this very property, and you want to have it professionally inspected before you list it on the real estate market?

Here at Inspectors Company, we can do all that for you and more. As an InterNACHI-certified home inspection company in San Diego, we boast the expertise, the experience, and the first-rate equipment necessary to render truly top-of-the-line home inspections. Call us today.