Even if you feel well prepared, and have done as much as you can to sell your home; get ready to brace yourself because the inspector (hired by the buyer) can find something wrong! As a seller, it is essential to understand a home inspector is meticulous, and it’s his/her job to find any issues concerning the property.
In most cases, properties have been kept in good condition, meaning that many of the problems needing fixed are both manageable and inexpensive. Although, the deal can be killed when a home inspector finds major concerns and deficiencies, added in with an unwilling seller that is not looking to negotiate.
When selling a house, make it a priority to have the property at its highest quality condition, and ready before any buyer arrives with their own hired inspector. One great way to make sure your home is ready is to contact a local home inspection company to assess the property prior to your home going on the market.
For sellers a pre-listing inspection lets you will know, in detail, what exactly needs fixing and repaired. This helps greatly, as you can take care of the repairs before you start to look for a prospective buyer.
Having your own inspection report handy with a list of the issues that have been fixed is helpful, and it has a positive effect when presented to potential buyers. You want to leave potential buyers with no doubt that the property is in the best shape and the right future home for them.
A pre-listing inspection does make sense, it’s the one service as a home seller that can give you the information that you need in order to make your home sale a success.
It is always the better option to get in touch with a professional home inspection company to ensure an accurate evaluation of your home/property. There are, however, some things that you can look out for before hiring an inspector to keep you “in the know” of what’s broken, what’s needs repaired immediately, and what’s in good condition.
As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility and no one else’s to ensure your home is well kept and maintained to a reasonable standard. This means all odd jobs and repairs around the property are yours to keep on top of.
Like many people, you may not have the time, due to work commitments. You may need to use your vacation time to handle the tasks of maintaining your property, and keep it in tiptop shape.
Areas that you should be looked at include the roof and chimney (if you have one). The thing about a roof and/or chimney is you don’t usually notice any problems until the problem itself is too far advanced.
Another area is water leak trails. These are fairly visible, but locating the source of the leak is a little harder. It would be better to hire a home inspector who has experience in accessing crawl spaces, and attics to help locate the problem. They can advise on what steps should be taken next.
Another area that needs your attention around the home is the gutters; make sure your gutters are free of debris and clean. Clogged up gutters and down pipes will cause water to overflow and spill onto the surrounding area below.
Keep an eye on any cracks that have appeared in walls inside and outside of the house. Cracks in walls could mean serious foundation problems. Make sure that you take the time out and check over your home. If you do see cracks, contact an inspector to get an idea of how bad the situation is.
Even though there are areas that you can keep an eye on regularly, houses sometimes shift and could compromise the strength of the structure. If you notice cracks around the foundation, call us for an initial free consultation.
Florida is renowned for its hot, sunny, and humid weather. It makes Florida a vacation hot spot with guests from all over the world traveling to it each year. The thing about tourists is that they only visit for short periods of time in the warmer seasons; they get the best weather (sometimes) and often choose not to visit during the wet seasons.
For those who live in Florida year around, they know all about the ups and downs of the weather.
Florida residents understand the importance of preparing for hurricane season. If you are a Florida homeowner, you need to be asking about wind mitigation service offered by professional home inspection companies.
Part of the responsibility of homeownership in Florida is to ensure your home is hurricane proofed and there are correct fitted shutters for all openings. If you follow the weather, and are advised that a named hurricane is coming your way, then it’s best to be prepared beforehand.
Be ready and have everything in order weeks before hurricane season starts (June 1st-Nov 30th).
Avoid last-minute preparations to your home and make sure the roof panels are strong enough to withstand hurricane force winds. Consider a professional inspection to help determine the areas that need replacing or repaired, and done in time.
The inspector will come out to your home and assess how it would hold up in the chance of a hurricane making landfall. If it passes inspection, you can give it to your insurance company and they offer a discount on the annual premium.
If you are in need of any help or information on the condition of your storm panels, then contact us. Our trained inspectors can help. They will inspect the current panels installed on your home, and give any recommendations needed in order to improve the efficiency of your home’s protection.
Know that your home can withstand the battering of a hurricane, and keep you safe at the same time. Learn more about wind mitigation services on our Services page.
You and your family’s health and safety should be priority when it comes to choosing a home to live in. Many obvious factors can be checked in order to gain information on the place you want to hang the sign, “Home Sweet Home”.
Many people check local crime rates, they check the levels of education provided by schools, they look at the level of medical care and medical facilities close by.
We’ve mentioned several times throughout previous blogs on how to get information on the above factors, but have you thought about checking the level of Radon?
Radon gas is odorless, colorless, and can be silently poisoning you and your family.
Radon is colorless and odorless, making it impossible to detect, unless you have the right testing equipment.
Radon is found in Florida, and across many States.
Radon is the second cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Smoking is the #1 cause of lung cancer.
Radon is found in 1-in-5 homes in Florida each showing unsafe levels.
Radon is created by Uranium break down in the soil surrounding homes.
It’s evident that Radon is a serious health concern and can have grave consequences. Please know and understand that radon is unsafe high levels can be prevented.
Get in touch with a professional, local home inspection company. Test the soil surrounding your home and the air quality in your home in order to know if it’s it at a safe level and radon-free.
If you have any concerns regarding Radon, and worry that it is affecting your home, then contact Central Florida Building Inspectors, Inc. we offer radon testing, and can put your worry to rest.
Anybody that has been through the homebuying process will tell you it can be an extremely stressful and a testing time. There are a number of important factors that need considered when buying a home, such as location, pricing, and the current condition of the structure. Another factor is the life expectancy of major systems in the home.
You need to be certain what you finally choose is the best investment that you can take. The best way to determine that is with a pre-purchase inspection report.
A professional home inspection should be an unbiased, detailed report of the home’s true condition. As a homebuyer, you need reassurance and a trained inspector’s advice can help bring that assurance you need.
Home evaluations can take anything up to 3 hours, and in some cases longer, it depends on the age, location, and size of the property. It is highly recommended that when the walkthrough takes place you attend it with the inspector.
Advantages of attending the walkthrough…
1. You will be able to see the true condition of the property first-hand.
2. You will be able to ask any questions that come to mind. (Remember to ask as many questions as you can because it’s the inspectors job to explain the answer.)
It is important to understand that a home inspector’s job is not just to point out and highlight the negative factors of any property that is inspected. It is also the home inspector’s job to promote and highlight the positive attributes.
A home inspection is a very valuable service, but it is sometimes ignored and overlooked. Many people see is as an added cost and too much of an extra strain on an already tight budget. The truth is, by avoiding or ignoring a home inspection service you are stepping out in blind faith. When it comes to providing a roof over your head, and providing your family with a safe home, you can’t afford not to hire a home inspector!
You’ve decided it is time to sell the house. A number of reasons exist that could have made you come to this conclusion. It might be your family is growing out of this house. When you first purchased it, you only had one child that was fine in a two-bedroom home, now it’s not. Or, another could be you prefer a better area or just want an ‘upgrade’.
Whatever reason you may have to sell your home, some serious items need considered before placing the sign out in the front yard. Things like, how the landscaping appears. What does the entry way look like? Are there visible cracks or water stains on the ceiling?
You don’t want to steer a prospective buyer away from your home if certain things are not fixed before trying to sell.
Although it is not required, a pre-listing inspection by a certified inspector, helps you know precisely what needs fixed for the home to sell quickly. On the other hand, the report could also help you determine if it’s better to sell in an AS-IS condition.
If you sell it in its current condition due to the inspection report listing major fixes are required, it means the sale price needs lowering. This is not ideal if you are trying to sell it for extra money to assist purchasing the next home.
Based on the report received from the inspection company, get an estimate of the costs to repair.
If the costs to repair major items is upwards of $10,000 but the fixes increase the value of the property by $15,000 investing in the repairs might be the better choice. If the value does not exceed the cost of repairs, you might be better off selling with an AS-IS contract. This is an essential decision to make about your future, hire an inspector.
