House Buying Tip: Home Inspections

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Preface: The following statements may be most relevant to standard sales when using a buyers agent.

I’ll say upfront that home inspections are for the most part a Croc of S IMO; basically some handyman charging you $300 an hour for their “knowledge.”

Be that as it may, once you have a completed inspection as a buyer you will likely go back to the seller and ask for repairs or a credit in an amount that would likely cover the requested repairs.

From the start it’s in the sellers interest to somehow convey to the buyers that there is no wiggle room down.

In that case the buyer may be reluctant to ask for repairs, or the buyers agent might try to persuade the buyers to ask for few or no repairs.

One reason the buyers agent may suggest asking for little to no repairs is because if they think the sellers won’t pay for repairs, then it will come out of the brokers or the agents commission if the deal is to go through.

Remember: A buyers agent is more than likely truly looking out for their own interests, not yours as a buyer despite any statements to the contrary.

[jimklinge]

Another reason to select your realtor very carefully – and be demanding.

Questions to ask buyer-agents:

1. How many houses have you sold this year?

2. In how many of those did you represent the buyer?

3. What repairs or money-credits did you negotiate for your buyers?

4. Who is your inspector, and how can I check him out?

You need to figure out how effective they are in fighting for you.

[jimklinge]

Another reason to select your realtor very carefully – and be demanding.

Questions to ask buyer-agents:

1. How many houses have you sold this year?

2. In how many of those did you represent the buyer?

3. What repairs or money-credits did you negotiate for your buyers?

4. Who is your inspector, and how can I check him out?

You need to figure out how effective they are in fighting for you.

[jimklinge]

Another reason to select your realtor very carefully – and be demanding.

Questions to ask buyer-agents:

1. How many houses have you sold this year?

2. In how many of those did you represent the buyer?

3. What repairs or money-credits did you negotiate for your buyers?

4. Who is your inspector, and how can I check him out?

You need to figure out how effective they are in fighting for you.

[jimklinge]

Another reason to select your realtor very carefully – and be demanding.

Questions to ask buyer-agents:

1. How many houses have you sold this year?

2. In how many of those did you represent the buyer?

3. What repairs or money-credits did you negotiate for your buyers?

4. Who is your inspector, and how can I check him out?

You need to figure out how effective they are in fighting for you.

[jimklinge]

Another reason to select your realtor very carefully – and be demanding.

Questions to ask buyer-agents:

1. How many houses have you sold this year?

2. In how many of those did you represent the buyer?

3. What repairs or money-credits did you negotiate for your buyers?

4. Who is your inspector, and how can I check him out?

You need to figure out how effective they are in fighting for you.

[UCGal]

Another point.

If the inspection uncovers something big – and the seller refuses to fix it, it’s worth reminding them that they MUST disclose this to future buyers.

This won’t be a consideration on easy fixes… but lets say there’s mold, or significant water damage… The house is now much harder to sell without these items remediated.

For some reason the sellers agents don’t always convey this to the sellers unless prompted. And I’ve seen sellers reconsider when they realize they need to fix or disclose to any new buyers.

[UCGal]

Another point.

If the inspection uncovers something big – and the seller refuses to fix it, it’s worth reminding them that they MUST disclose this to future buyers.

This won’t be a consideration on easy fixes… but lets say there’s mold, or significant water damage… The house is now much harder to sell without these items remediated.

For some reason the sellers agents don’t always convey this to the sellers unless prompted. And I’ve seen sellers reconsider when they realize they need to fix or disclose to any new buyers.

[UCGal]

Another point.

If the inspection uncovers something big – and the seller refuses to fix it, it’s worth reminding them that they MUST disclose this to future buyers.

This won’t be a consideration on easy fixes… but lets say there’s mold, or significant water damage… The house is now much harder to sell without these items remediated.

For some reason the sellers agents don’t always convey this to the sellers unless prompted. And I’ve seen sellers reconsider when they realize they need to fix or disclose to any new buyers.

[UCGal]

Another point.

If the inspection uncovers something big – and the seller refuses to fix it, it’s worth reminding them that they MUST disclose this to future buyers.

This won’t be a consideration on easy fixes… but lets say there’s mold, or significant water damage… The house is now much harder to sell without these items remediated.

For some reason the sellers agents don’t always convey this to the sellers unless prompted. And I’ve seen sellers reconsider when they realize they need to fix or disclose to any new buyers.

[UCGal]

Another point.

If the inspection uncovers something big – and the seller refuses to fix it, it’s worth reminding them that they MUST disclose this to future buyers.

This won’t be a consideration on easy fixes… but lets say there’s mold, or significant water damage… The house is now much harder to sell without these items remediated.

For some reason the sellers agents don’t always convey this to the sellers unless prompted. And I’ve seen sellers reconsider when they realize they need to fix or disclose to any new buyers.

[jpinpb]

I am going to second the comment about inspections being a croc.

We had an inspector come check our place out and gave the A-OK. Giving also the standard CYA clause.

I smelled gas in the house. No one else did. Then, another inspector comes out, FHA inspector and smells gas. Well, so it’s not in my head. LA hires a HVAC guy to come check it out. Everything A-OK. SDGE comes turns on the gas after we had closed and moved in. Checks for any leaks w/the sniffer. Everything A-OK.

Meanwhile, I’m still smelling gas. I have my husband pressure test the line. Whoooooosh. We thereafter got the leak fixed. Judging from where it was, probably been there for 30 years.

Inspections are a formality and then when you move in, that’s when you really begin to discover things that are wrong w/it.

[jpinpb]

I am going to second the comment about inspections being a croc.

We had an inspector come check our place out and gave the A-OK. Giving also the standard CYA clause.

I smelled gas in the house. No one else did. Then, another inspector comes out, FHA inspector and smells gas. Well, so it’s not in my head. LA hires a HVAC guy to come check it out. Everything A-OK. SDGE comes turns on the gas after we had closed and moved in. Checks for any leaks w/the sniffer. Everything A-OK.

Meanwhile, I’m still smelling gas. I have my husband pressure test the line. Whoooooosh. We thereafter got the leak fixed. Judging from where it was, probably been there for 30 years.

Inspections are a formality and then when you move in, that’s when you really begin to discover things that are wrong w/it.

[jpinpb]

I am going to second the comment about inspections being a croc.

We had an inspector come check our place out and gave the A-OK. Giving also the standard CYA clause.

I smelled gas in the house. No one else did. Then, another inspector comes out, FHA inspector and smells gas. Well, so it’s not in my head. LA hires a HVAC guy to come check it out. Everything A-OK. SDGE comes turns on the gas after we had closed and moved in. Checks for any leaks w/the sniffer. Everything A-OK.

Meanwhile, I’m still smelling gas. I have my husband pressure test the line. Whoooooosh. We thereafter got the leak fixed. Judging from where it was, probably been there for 30 years.

Inspections are a formality and then when you move in, that’s when you really begin to discover things that are wrong w/it.

[jpinpb]

I am going to second the comment about inspections being a croc.

We had an inspector come check our place out and gave the A-OK. Giving also the standard CYA clause.

I smelled gas in the house. No one else did. Then, another inspector comes out, FHA inspector and smells gas. Well, so it’s not in my head. LA hires a HVAC guy to come check it out. Everything A-OK. SDGE comes turns on the gas after we had closed and moved in. Checks for any leaks w/the sniffer. Everything A-OK.

Meanwhile, I’m still smelling gas. I have my husband pressure test the line. Whoooooosh. We thereafter got the leak fixed. Judging from where it was, probably been there for 30 years.

Inspections are a formality and then when you move in, that’s when you really begin to discover things that are wrong w/it.

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