Home Inspections – Who should attend and how to prepare
In my opinion, everyone involved in the real estate transaction should attend home inspections. Both Realtors – Listing and Selling should be present. Both Seller and Buyer should be present.
Often home inspectors will have questions that the home Seller could easily answer and save everyone a lot of time. Also the home Seller will hear from the inspector what would be an acceptable repair to a condition.
Home Buyers should be present to hear the findings of a home inspection. Not only will home inspectors call out what is in need of repair, they will offer advice as to what should be budgeted for, or how best to maintain or extend the life of a component. To read inspection results on a written report may seem shocking, while hearing it from the inspector’s mouth is much more informative.
Home Sellers should prepare for a home inspection by making sure there is ACCESS to all furnaces, electrical outlets and attic space. At a recent home inspection, I had to move half the clothes out of a closet in order for the inspector to access a furnace. I moved boxes placed in front of electrical outlets also. Often we will find boxes stacked so high in the garage that there is no access to a hot water heater or the attic.
Home Inspections – Who should attend and how to prepare
It is not legal or proper for a home inspector to move items to inspect what the Buyer paid them to inspect – that is clearly the home Seller’s responsibility. An inspector’s time is as valuable as yours, so don’t be the cause of a 2nd trip to the property.
Inspection results are sometimes opinions and not a clear cut finding. The time to discuss it is during inspections – not after the fact.
All home Buyers want their new home to be as worry-free as possible when they move in, regardless of the age of the home. Realtors, Sellers, Buyers and Inspectors work together to make that happen on a budget and in a time frame with which everyone can accommodate.
So, don’t miss inspections – it’s a great learning experience.
If you’d like to work with a Realtor who oversees EVERY portion of the real estate transaction, give me a call. 918-852-5036
Content written and published by Lori Cain.
In Phoenix, it’s very rare that all parties are present, and I know some offices have policies that the brokers aren’t there to reduce liability. Trying to negotiate repairs when you weren’t there to see what was wrong is difficult. I say agents should go!