About 88% of buyers use house inspection services before purchasing houses.
A house inspection can benefit both the buyer and the seller of a house. Not only are they affordable, but they also provide several pieces of information that can help both sides determine how much a house is worth.
However, performing a house inspection is no easy process. Because of this, we’ve put together this house inspection guide to help you buy or sell your next home. Soon, you can search for a “house inspection near me” and get great results.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about inspecting a home.
What Is a House Inspection?
A house inspection involves examining the condition of a home to determine if anything is wrong with it. These inspections are often conducted when a homeowner decides to sell their property, though you can inspect your home at any time.
Many homeowners hire professional inspectors to conduct the process as they have the necessary qualifications to do so. Depending on where you live, you may be required to hire one before you can sell your home:
Why Inspections Are Important
House inspections are some of the most important things to invest in for various reasons.
When selling a home, an inspection can help you figure out how much your home is worth. For example, if you have water damage throughout your home, you’ll know to list it at a lower value than what it would typically go for.
If you’re buying a home, an inspection will make it easier to determine whether you’re getting a good deal. Many lenders also require borrowers to invest in home inspections before providing them with funds.
How to Prepare for One
Preparing for a home inspection is a simple process, regardless of whether you’re a seller or buyer.
Sellers can prepare for inspections by organizing their homes to make them more accessible. This can be done by setting furniture aside and cleaning all surfaces.
All a buyer must do is figure out with a seller what time works best. If a buyer is hiring a professional inspector, they must also consider their availability. Click for just listed homes so you can start preparing for a house inspection.
House Inspection Tips
If you’d like to perform a home inspection without a professional inspector, you can do several things to get a general idea of a home’s condition. This is a great option for anyone that wants to buy a house but isn’t ready to hire someone.
Here are some of the best home inspections tips:
Examine the Roof and Foundation
One of the first things to do during a house inspection is examine the roof and foundation, which are both responsible for keeping a home intact.
When examining a roof, look for damaged or missing shingles. This may be a sign that a roof hasn’t been replaced in several years, which will significantly lower a home’s value.
When examining a foundation, focus on looking for cracks around the walls. It’s normal to see minor cracks, but the foundation may be in bad shape if you find a plethora.
Look for Signs of Old Age
After examining the roof and foundation, the next thing you can do is look for signs of old age. While older houses aren’t bad, many of them require a lot of maintenance.
A clear sign of old age is breaking bricks and mortar, which are common materials in older homes. Unlike many materials, repairing bricks and mortar isn’t easy. Instead, you must replace them, which may require removing large chunks.
Damaged shingles may also be signs of old age, though anything can damage them. If a home’s shingles are in bad shape, you should examine the wood underneath to determine whether it’ll need to be replaced.
See If There’s Water Damage
The last thing to do is see if there’s water damage, which can take place in many forms.
Some of the most common signs of water damage are stains, swollen drywall, mold, and cracks. Depending on the severity, you may need to spend a few thousand dollars to repair the water damage around a home.
When to Hire an Inspector
The last thing we’ll go over in this house inspection guide is when you should hire an inspector.
While you can examine a home yourself, a professional inspector will know exactly what to look for. Because of this, you should hire one as soon as you find a property that interests you. Only after the inspection should you agree on a final price for the home.
If you’re selling a property, you can hire an inspector at any time. However, you can offer to cover the inspection costs to make a buyer feel more comfortable buying your property. In this case, you should hire an inspector soon after meeting a buyer.
To get the best inspection services, spend some time looking for different inspectors online. After reading some reviews and learning about how much inspectors charge, you can confidently hire someone that’ll take care of everything you need.
Now I’m Ready for a House Inspection Near Me
As you can see, house inspections are great investments for both home buyers and sellers. Now that you have this info, we encourage you to start looking for inspection services to avoid downtime when buying or selling a property. You can find several with a quick search for “house inspection near me.”
Check out the rest of our blog to learn more about home-related topics.