With home sales picking up in a majority of Ohio, prospective buyers will look for any advantage they can to edge out the competition. One of those may be waiving inspection contingencies.
Experienced homeowners and first time homebuyers alike, should make an educated decision on whether or not to get a home inspection. There are many unseen situations that could pose a hit to your wallet if not more serious complications. Here are just a few common unseen problem areas:
1. Furnace – unless you are experienced enough to determine that it is functional, you could be walking in to a nice new house that needs a new furnace.
2. Mold – crawlspaces and basements could have mold present. Crawlspaces are especially worrisome unless you know what you are looking for and forge into the unknown, you may never have an idea that it is present.
3. Poor surface grading and drainage – this simple issue can cause a wide array of secondary problems from cracked slabs to water leaking into the basement. If the weather has been warm and dry, you may never know that water leaks into the basement.
4. Roof damage – Asphalt shingle roofs only last 15-20 years. A leaking roof can lead to water damage on the interior of the home.
The risk to waiving your inspections can be minimized if the sellers provide you with copies of recent home inspections that they had completed. However, most inspection reports recommend further inspections. A second opinion, from another home inspector, can’t hurt.
Overall, the cost of a home inspection could be drastically cheaper than any unknown repairs that require immediate attention after you purchase the home.
[…] discussed this at Ohio Mortgage Solutions, Ohio Home Buyers, Should You Get a House Inspected?. Bottom line is a good home inspector will uncover many hidden issues. Better safe than […]