So You’ve Put an Offer on a Home. What’s Next?
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Article by: Kevin McMahon You've finally found the home , Different Types of Roof Vents of your dreams, 3 bedrooms, attached garage, , Get In-Home Care To Help You great neighborhood. You fix sights on the freshly painted walls, , Basement Waterproofing - Get Ready For Rain new carpeting, beautiful , Technological Advances in Windows and Doors cabinet and a huge back yard. , Jazz Up Your Basement Ceiling - You Can Do That What are you forgetting? Everything else! Don't forget about the plumbing, , Chosing to Buy Between Different Types of Ladders heating, A/C, electrical, insulation, ventilation, exterior and roof. , Retractable Awnings – Several Different Shade Positions These are the most overlooked items because most people know very little about these types of items, or what to look for. You decide to make an offer on the home. , Basement Waterproofing - Get Ready For Rain What's next? Don't forget about getting the home , Air Purifiers - Fact or Fiction? inspected. When you made the offer, your realtor should have gone over the inspection contingency in your contract. Simply stated, it's a clause in the contract that your offer is contingent upon a home , What is Injection Waterproofing? inspection, and you have a certain amount of time to get the home , The Pros And Cons Of An Electrostatic Air Purifier inspected. It allows you to have an unbiased professional look beneath the cosmetic items into the complex working components of a home. , Different Types of Roof Vents It also allows you to either renegotiate your offer based on the inspection, or at the very least know what lies ahead of you if you do decide to purchase the home. , Quick Tips for Carpet and Rugs: Softness Under Foot A seller's disclosure statement is nice and most seller's are honest, but don't even realize that problems exist in their home. , Bathroom Wall Cabinets - Create Extra Space with a Touch of Style! Ask your realtor for a list of home , Different Types of Roof Vents inspectors in your area. Most will be happy to provide you with a list of inspectors in your area. If not, pull some brochures from the realtors lobby, try the phone , Manhatten Paving-Asphalt Paving Seal Coats directory or the internet. , Garage Door Repair Most inspectors these days have a website where you can read about the services they offer. Take the time and call , About Lighting Your Home a few from the list to form your own opinion. Some realtors will offer to hire an inspector for you on your behalf. Be sure your realtor has your best interests in mind if you go this route. This is your money and your lifetime investment you're talking about. When you call , Top Tips When Planning a Conservatory or Sunroom a home , Gas Fireplaces: Add A Touch Of Warmth To Your . inspection company, here are a few important questions to ask: 1. Are you licensed , About Lighting Your Home by the state? If the answer is no, say thank you and politely hang up the phone. , Retractable Awnings – Several Different Shade Positions All home , Choice, or too much choice inspectors are required to be licensed , Garage Door Repair in the State of Wisconsin, and to keep their license are require to attend 20 hours of continuing education per year. 2. Are you affiliated with any organizations? Most good home , Ideas For Your Interior Christmas Decorating inspectors are associated with a National organization like NACHI (National Association of Certified Home , Low Cost Improvement Project Inspectors) NAHI (National Association of Home , 7 Tips For Buying An Outdoor Fireplace Inspectors) or ASHI (American Society of Home , Jazz Up Your Basement Ceiling - You Can Do That Inspectors) and/or a local , Quick Tips for Carpet and Rugs: Softness Under Foot organization like WAHI (Wisconsin Association of Home , Planning Permission Tips UK - Is Today's Popular Quest For Contemporary Design The New 'Bad Taste' Inspectors) Each organization has is pro's and con's and like any organization, are suited to that inspectors specific needs. Most importantly however, these organizations have strict guidelines to a code of ethics and continuing education. 3. How long will your inspection take? A thorough home , Gas Fireplaces: Add A Touch Of Warmth To Your . inspection should take between 2 1/2-4 hours or longer depending on the size, age and condition of the home. , About Lighting Your In some cases a smaller home , Air Purifiers - Fact or Fiction? (1000sft or less) can be inspected in 2 hours. If the inspector says he can do it in less time, think about how thorough the inspection is going to be. 4. What type of report do you use? Some inspectors use computer generated onsite reporting, some use a handwritten checklist, some do computer generated reporting and send you the report after they've had time to look it over twice before sending it out. Each has their pros and cons. Computer generated onsite reporting is nice and you get your report right away. The downside is the inspector doesn't have time to look any items up that may be in question or be very descriptive in their report. A hand written checklist in my opinion is the most incomplete type of report. You do get your report right away, but it is usually something like: Kitchen , Basement Waterproofing - Get Ready For Rain countertop: poor. This doesn't give you much of a description of the defect, like what exactly is wrong with it. The computer generated report is in my opinion the best style. You get a neat, professional looking report, the inspector has had time to be descriptive and to look up any items that he may have had questions on (no, we don't know everything and if we say we do, take that as a sign). The downside is you don't get your report for a day or so, but the report can get to you quickly if he/she emails it to you. All inspectors should be able to provide you with photo's of the problem areas in their reports. A picture is worth a thousand words. If they don't include photos in their report (digital or otherwise) you may want to find an inspector that does. Ask for a sample report. Most good inspectors will be happy to send you a copy. 5. What is your experience and background? Most home , Choice, or too much choice inspectors started out with a construction-based background. This is very useful in home , The Pros And Cons Of An Electrostatic Air Purifier inspections. Attending a University with emphasis on construction, or attending a Home , Doors To Glass In A Porch Inspection School is almost a necessity in this trade. If an inspector tells you he was in retail (for an example) this may be a time to look elsewhere, or ask a follow-up question as to why he went into the profession and what he has to offer that others inspectors don't. 6. How much do you charge? This is a very important question. The question you really should be asking yourself , Don't Sweat It - Keep Cool the Portable Way "how much are you willing to spend on the most important investment you're ever going to make?"Âť Think about this. Do you really want to price shop on something this important? Yes, you don't want to pay too much, but you don't want to scrimp either. You're paying $100,000+ for your home , The Benefits of Juicers and now is not the time to go with the lowest price. Inspectors have overhead costs like any company; Insurance, vehicle, gas, , Don't Sweat It - Keep Cool the Portable Way equipment training, professional organization dues, a home, , An Overview of Solar Cells Through The Years etc. Regardless of what any might say, they don't work every day of the week, every week of the year. An average inspection is between $250 and $400 or more depending on the size, age and condition of the home. , What Four-Letter Word Do You Use When Shelling Out The Money To Pay For Heating Your These Days Some inspectors base their fees from the listing price. Based on what is uncovered in the inspection, you will probably be able to save , Don't Sweat It - Keep Cool the Portable Way that much and maybe more. For example: A new water , Gas Fireplaces: Add A Touch Of Warmth To Your Home. heater will cost you in the neighborhood of $800, and if the inspector finds that the one in the home , Prefabricated Metal Buildings is nearing the end of its useful life, the inspection just paid for itself and then some. Its money spent wisely. Most good home , Unadulterated Truth About Black Mold: What You Don’t Know Is Destroying Your And Your Health inspectors encourage you to follow them on the inspection, and I highly recommend it. It will give you a chance to see what he sees, and ask questions. Be sure to ask questions! The inspector will usually to be happy to answer them for you or if he doesn't know the answer right then, he should offer to look it up and call , Wallpaper Mural Tricks: How to Choose and Install you with the answer. This is also a time to find out where key components like shut-off valves or the breaker panel is located in case of an emergency, , Air Purifiers - Fact or Fiction? or get tips , How To Make Window Cleaner on routine maintenance items. A home , Things to Consider when Buying a Hot Tub or Jacuzzi Tub inspection is a visual, non-destructive examination of a home. , Get In- Care To Help You It is not technically exhaustive. Inspectors cannot see defects behind a wall, , Propane Refrigerators Are a Hot Idea ceiling or furniture. , Chosing to Buy Between Different Types of Ladders He or she will just use their knowledge and experience in their visual examination. If a component doesn't work by normal means of operation the inspector won't try to get it operating by any other means. He/she will only open those panels that are normally used to service a piece of equipment. If a danger exists to the inspector, he/she will not inspect that piece of equipment. They will just defer to a professional more experienced in that type of application. They do not move furniture , Planning Permission Tips UK - Is Today's Popular Quest For Contemporary Design The New 'Bad Taste' to inspect, so having the home , Air Purifiers - Fact or Fiction? ready for the inspector prior to the inspection will not only speed the process, but give you a more thorough inspection. You will more than likely not get the chance to meet your inspector before the inspection, so asking these important questions will help make your decision easier. Having the home , The Benefits of Juicers inspected is the best thing you can do to have a more informed decision on the purchase or sale of your home. , Relax in a Hammock After all, this is probably the biggest investment you will ever make. For more information , Planning Permission Tips UK - Is Today's Popular Quest For Contemporary Design The New 'Bad Taste' on the regulations , Bathroom Wall Cabinets - Create Extra Space with a Touch of Style! that govern home , Quick Tips for Carpet and Rugs: Softness Under Foot inspection industry, visit the Wisconsin Department of Commerce website at: http://drl.wi.gov/prof/homi/def.htm .Kevin McMahon is a licensed , The Benefits of Juicers and certified home , Things to Consider when Buying a Hot Tub or Jacuzzi Tub inspection professional, and owner of ABC Home , Using Mirrors To Open Up A Inspection based in Stevens Point, WI. Questions or comments can be directed to him at abc@certified-inspector.com or by visiting his website at http://certified-inspector.com Copyright©2004 This article may be reproduced only in its entire form. No editing may be done without the written consent of ABC Home , Quick Tips for Carpet and Rugs: Softness Under Foot Inspection, LLC. 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