Columbia SC home buyers usually make offers to buy a home contingent on inspecting the property to their satisfaction. A Columbia SC home inspection contingency gives buyers permission to inspect the property and can give the buyers the right to withdraw from the contract without penalty, depending on how the contract is written.
For this reason, and to help sellers make accurate disclosures about their property, sellers often choose to have pre-sale inspection reports done before they put their home on the market. Minimally, they order a “wood-destroying pests and organisms” inspection (loosely referred to as a “termite” inspection) and a home inspection.
Columbia SC Home Inspection Recommendations
If your Columbia SC home inspection recommends having an old roof inspected by a roofing contractor, it’s a good idea to follow through with this, and any other similar recommendation. Any pre-sale inspections should be made available to buyers to review before they make an offer.
While some sellers ask why they should pay for a pre-sale inspection when buyers are going to pay for another one of their own, it is important for the buyer to know as much as possible about the home before they even get to the point of making an offer. A seller pre-sale inspection report can give the potential buyer the confidence they need to even make an offer.
This results in an offer from educated buyers who are less likely to withdraw from the contract or renegotiate the price than they would be if they didn’t have pertinent information about the property condition before they made the offer.
Columbia SC home inspection findings can be somewhat subjective. For example, one inspector may say a window can be repaired, while the other says it needs to be replaced. One solution would be for the sellers to credit the repair cost to the buyers at closing. The buyers can decide whether to repair the window or use the credit as partial payment for a new one.
Bottom Line: Don’t let a Columbia SC home inspection kill your home sale unnecessarily.
The biggest Columbia SC area home inspection mistake made by homebuyers is, not getting one!
Trying to save a couple of hundred dollars by not getting a home inspection could be a very costly mistake.
If you’re thinking of buying a home anywhere in the Columbia SC area, don’t make this home inspection mistake. The money you invest in a good home inspection can literally save you thousands later on.
Columbia SC New Home Inspections – Why?
A common misconception by many home buyers is that simply because their home is newly constructed that new home inspections aren’t really necessary. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There are a lot of different things that need to be inspected upon the purchase of a new home. A Columbia SC new home inspection is required just as much as any older home, and they have a special set of considerations that need to be examined.
Home inspectors are part of the buying and selling process for the protection of the buyer and it is the buyer who is responsible for arranging their own inspection. If sellers (or in this case, builders) are hesitant to have their home inspected or try to convince you to skip the inspection then you could have a serious concern on your hands. What are they trying to hide? Never buy a home (new or used) without having a full inspection performed.
Home inspectors are trained to find things that could be, or become, huge issues to the home buyer. Typically they are concerned with the vital systems that are essential to the proper operation of the home. Systems like plumbing pipes and fixtures, the electrical system, septic system (if there is one) are all checked for wear & tear, quality and proper installation. The foundation needs to be examined for cracks and stress fractures. This kind of imperfection in the home’s structure can be quite dangerous and expensive to repair. However if left unattended it can cause huge problems later on in the home’s life.
Mold is another issue altogether and most home inspectors are not properly educated in the identification of and dealing with the various kinds of mold that can be found in homes. In fact, the best method of finding out about mold in the home is to hire a professional mold specialist. Mold is not generally a problem in newly constructed homes, but there’s no guarantee against mold becoming a problem in a new home, depending on how much moisture the home was exposed to during the open construction phase of the home building process. This is just one more reason for getting new home inspections performed.
Columbia SC new home inspections are critically important. Always be sure to have any home you are considering purchasing inspected. It is the only way to ensure that your investment is a wise one and that your family is safe and protected.
You’ve heard it a million times, if you’re buying a home, you must get a home inspection. This is not new news for anyone. What we want to cover in this article are the questions you should and should not ask when getting your Columbia SC home inspection done.
It is highly recommended that a client attend the home inspection in order to see the issues the inspector sees as the inspector finds them. This also gives the client the opportunity to ask the home inspector questions along the way about any items they do not fully understand.
Questions NOT to Ask When Getting Your Columbia SC Home Inspection
Don’t bother asking your home inspector if you should buy the home, if they would buy the home if they were you, or if they think the price is right. A home inspector is going to be neutral on things like this and should not be offering personal opinions about the value of the property. Their job is to offer their assessment of the home and present you with facts. The decision to buy is up to you.
Home inspectors are not appraisers, so don’t ask them for their opinion or judgment on the home’s value.
Some inspectors will include repair estimates on everything, while others may only be able to give estimates on certain items. Some may refer repairmen or suggest do-it-yourself methods, but others may not be able to give any help in this area. Home inspectors can answer most questions about the function of home components, but the above questions are simply outside of the field of expertise of most home inspectors.
Questions You SHOULD Ask When Getting Your Columbia SC Home Inspection
These are questions you should have written down to ask ahead of time. At the time of inspection, there is a lot going on, and if you don’t have these questions already written down, you may forget to ask them.
- Where is the main water shut off valve to the house?
- What is the typical life span of the roof on this home? Is there any special maintenance that needs to be done to it?
- If there is access to the attic, what does the attic look like? Is that space good for storing boxes, or would keepsakes be damaged up there?
- Is the electrical panel full, or is there room to expand?
- How is the drainage around the house?
- Which items are real safety concerns? Which items need to be addressed right away, and which can be taken care of down the road?
- Is there anything specific I need to know about up-keep on this particular home?
Buying a home is a big decision and can seem a bit overwhelming at times. This is why it is so important for potential buyers to take the time to ask the home inspector questions during their Columbia SC home inspection. They should take the opportunity to tap into their home inspector’s wealth of knowledge on the subject. Clients shouldn’t feel as if they are bothering the inspector. The majority of home inspectors are happy to provide information and share what they know, especially with first time home buyers.
If you have questions about getting a Columbia SC home inspection that we haven’t covered in this article, please comment and leave us your questions. We’ll get back to you with answers.
A Columbia SC home inspection is a very important part of the home buying process. When buying a home, there are many things that may need attention and require repair in order to insure that the house is habitable and safe for its occupants.
Reasons for a Columbia SC Home Inspection
A home inspection should be performed prior to the purchase of the house for the benefit of the purchaser. If the home is not fit for living due to its safety issues, it is best to consider another house; unless a strong preference for that house still exists. This may require much renovation or even a rebuilding of the house.
A home inspection would give an indication of the extent of renovation required to the home the potential homeowner is considering before an actual purchase deal is concluded.
This would allow the purchaser to consider if the deal would be a good investment or unwise. Not only will you find out what is wrong with the house, you will also find out what is right.
The relatively small home inspection fee (compared to what you’re paying for the house) is worth the time and effort as it can potentially save you thousands and thousands of dollars in the future. Purchasing a house is not an easy task. It should be a good investment which can benefit the owner for years to come.
It would be foolish to purchase a house in bad condition that requires heavy maintenance and repairs, besides threatening the safety and health of its occupants.
Process of a Columbia SC Home Inspection
A home is a heavy investment; not everyone is familiar with the home inspection process. Only qualified, experienced, licensed and insured inspectors should handle this task. There are state licensed home inspectors who can inspect the house on your behalf and inform you as to the condition of the house before your purchase is completed. They are qualified and knowledgeable about the exact requirements of a Columbia SC home inspection according to the state laws on home inspections.
Depending on the size of the house, and the condition of the house, the home inspection process would take only a few hours. The home inspector will go over the entire house and evaluate the condition of all the components of the house. He or she will point out the good and bad aspects of the house for the home buyer or owner so you’ll know the condition and value of the home. Home inspections do not always cover every single item in the home, so be sure to consult with your home inspector to see what items he or she will not inspect.
After the home inspection is completed, your inspector will provide you with a full written report on the condition of the home. You may want to ask your home inspector if he or she minds if you attend the home inspection as it is being performed. This may help you more clearly understand the report when you get it.