 What
Really Matters
Buying a home? The process can be
stressful. A home inspection is
supposed to give you peace of mind, but
often has the opposite effect. You will
be asked to absorb a lot of information
in a short time. This often includes a
written report, checklist, photographs,
environmental reports and what the
inspector himself says during the
inspection. All this combined with the
seller's disclosure and what you notice
yourself makes the experience even more
overwhelming. What should you do?
Relax. Most of your inspection will be
maintenance recommendations, life
expectancies and minor imperfections. These
are nice to know about. However, the issues
that really matter will fall into four
categories:
- Major defects. An example of this
would be a structural failure.
- Things that lead to major defects.
A small roof-flashing leak, for
example.
- Things that may hinder your ability
to finance, legally occupy or insure the
home.
- Safety hazards, such as an exposed,
live buss bar at the electric panel.
Anything in these categories should be
addressed. Often a serious problem can be
corrected inexpensively to protect both life
and property (especially in categories 2 and
4).
Most sellers are honest and are often
surprised to learn of defects uncovered
during an inspection. Realize that sellers
are under no obligation to repair everything
mentioned in the report. No home is
perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do
not kill your deal over things that do not
matter. It is inappropriate to demand that
a seller address deferred maintenance,
conditions already listed on the seller's
disclosure or nit-picky items. |
