Critical Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector
The home inspection is an important step in the home buying process. But if you don’t involve yourself in the home inspection, you may not truly get to know the home you’re buying. Your home inspector will give you an extremely detailed report when they are finished inspecting the home, but asking questions on the spot helps to alleviate any confusion that the very technical report may bring up. Asking questions on the spot ensures that the information is fresh and clarified right then and there. Here are some critical questions you should ask your home inspector during your inspection.
4 Critical Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector
Is this a big or minor issue?
Typically, real estate is the biggest purchase people ever make. If your inspector is walking through the home you’re looking at, and notices a foundational problem or issue with the HVAC or heating systems, it would be normal for you to feel stressed or disappointed. But don’t make a molehill into a mountain. Ask the inspector if the issue is a big deal or not. If it is, you can address those concerns with the seller and decide if you want to move forward with your purchase. This is exactly what the home inspection is for, so make sure you ask as many questions as you feel necessary while assessing the home.
What are your biggest concerns about the home?
When your home inspector is done looking through your potential home, they should give you a broad summary of what they found. They will also write up a detailed report of their findings. But this is when you can ask for clarity on things that were found. If something was flagged by the home inspector, you can call in another home inspection expert like a plumber, roofer or electrician, depending on what was found. A home inspector can’t tell you whether or not they think you should buy the home. But that’s what your real estate agent is for.
What does that mean?
Your home inspector will look over the entire home, slowly checking to make sure there are no problems. As they move through your home, they will point out things that aren’t functioning properly or show signs of damage. When they’re doing this, it’s important that you ask for any clarification you need. If you see damage to the floorboards, you can ask what that means in terms of the whole home, how difficult it might be to repair or how much it might cost to do the repairs. The more questions you ask, the better you’ll feel.
What is that and does it need repair?
For the most part, home inspectors like to ask you if there is anything in the home that you’re particularly concerned about. If this is your first real estate purchase or the home is really old, you can let the home inspector know your concerns first, so that as they are walking through the home, they can point things out that may not be normal. But if you notice something like a water spot on the ceiling, ask what it is and if it needs repair. These are things that you can bring to the seller and either ask for a seller credit or ask them to fix the issues before you move into the home.
Find a Home in Orange County
If you’ve been thinking about making the move to Orange County, let Rosemary Hieber help you. Rosemary is one of America’s Top 100 Real Estate Agents and has served Orange County and the surrounding communities for more than 20 years. With more than $275 million sold locally and personally, Rosemary is committed to helping her clients not only find beautiful homes, but making the process as seamless as possible. Let Rosemary help you find your dream home in Orange County.