I was recently asked by a reporter to answer the following question...

Q: How important is it for a prospective buyer to hire a professional to inspect a home before they make an offer on it?

 A: In a word…. VERY. 

I encourage all of my buyers to have a home inspection. This is a process that falls under the buyers ‘due diligence’. As REALTORS®, we are not experts in inspection matters and cannot advise or work outside of our area of expertise – this would include inspections, therefore I always recommend a home inspection. There are several different types of home inspections. There is the standard home inspection that inspects systems like structural including foundations, grading, drainage, roof structure and covering; electrical systems; heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); plumbing; appliances and optional systems like pools, and sprinklers. There are also pest, wood destroying insect, and in depth HVAC inspections. Specialized inspections available for Structural components that are performed by structural engineers for concerns about foundation and settling issues. 

I am sometimes asked ‘What if it turns out that the house has too many repairs’ will I get my money back for the inspections? The answer is no, but the inspection fee is money well spent to avoid a potentially bad buying decision… and it will cost a whole lot more to try and sell a bad house afterwards. At a cost of approximately $250 - $400 for a standard home inspection in the Houston and Kingwood Texas market area, an inspection is a smart choice.  

The inspection process is a time of disclosure about any material defect on the home that the seller was unaware of, or any system in the house that is not performing it’s intended function. The inspection process usually takes about 4 hours and is a great time for the buyer to learn more about the home. Many inspectors will utilize the time spent with a buyer to educate them on regular and routine maintenance items, which is why I urge all buyers to attend their inspections. Most inspectors prefer this as they can explain deficiencies found during the inspection directly to the buyer at the time of inspection. In Texas, Home Inspectors are licensed by the state (TREC – Texas Real Estate Commission) and follow a format for their inspections. They too cannot inspect outside their area of expertise for example HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), or Pool - but they can suggest based on their initial findings when it may be a good time to have a specialized inspector come in to inspect further.

Once the inspection is completed the inspector will send a report with the findings to the buyer. The buyer should review the report with their REALTOR® to determine what repair requests if any will be made to the seller. Many buyers falsely believe that the seller is responsible to bring the house up to code as a result of deficiencies found during the inspection. I caution my buyers and sellers that this belief usually results in the contract falling apart and the buyer backing out, thus not getting the house they really want. On the other hand sellers that refuse to make repairs can also turn things sour very quickly. The key here is for REALTORS® to educate their clients on what to expect during and after the inspection process. The buyer and seller with the help of their REALTORS® need to have a meeting of the minds as to what constitutes a reasonable request for repairs. Some sellers will agree to repair certain items, while others may not want to deal with any repairs and offer the buyer a lender approved seller concession towards closing costs in lieu of repairs. This allows the buyer to be able to choose who performs the work and to what standard the work is performed and also allows the seller to move forward. 

When considering hiring a home inspector, buyers are urged to hire only licensed inspectors, check references, shop around and most importantly ask a lot of questions before you engage their services. Buying a home is one of the most important financial decisions we make and taking the time to have a home inspection can result in years of worry free homeownership.