by cfbi1 | Feb 4, 2014 | Home Inspection
Did you know that a professional home inspection would give you the information that you need to make an informed decision regarding the purchase of a new home? On the other hand, if you are looking to sell your home getting a home inspection helps determine the proper and correct value of the home, so you can place it on the market. All-in-all, a home inspection is a “win-win” and it’s best not to overlook or underestimate it in any case and at any cost!
What is a home inspection?
A home inspection consists of a qualified trained home inspector reviewing the potential property purchase in fine detail. This evaluation involves an onsite inspection of the home you want to buy. In addition to a number of tests that are preformed to test the quality of the structure’s components & major systems giving the buyer a clear picture of the house in question.
The answer to this is you don’t! You are not required to by law to have a home inspection service carried out. Just as you cross the road you don’t need to look left or right, but you do and why? You look left and right to make sure that nothing is going to hit and hurt you. You ensure that nothing is coming your way. That’s just the same idea that needs applied to having a home inspection done, you need to know if there are any potential hazards that could be coming your way if you are buying that home.
It’s an important decision whether or not to hire a home inspector, in fact it’s a decision that you cannot afford to ignore. It might cost extra to have one, but it could be saving you thousands of dollars, years down the line.
by cfbi1 | Feb 3, 2014 | Home Inspection
Looking for your dream home can take some time so it’s important you choose the right home instead of living the rest of your days in a house of horrors! It’s important that once you have found that dream home you don’t sign anything until you have a home inspection report.
The process of buying a home is a simple process, and should run fairly smooth however, on occasion there are instances where issues found out can be deal breakers. That’s why it’s essential to have an inspection carried out so any potential issues or problems can be dealt with right at the start.
Let’s take a look and find out what some of the more common deal breakers are:
Top of the list of most common is mold
Mold is unsightly and often looks worse than it actually is, nevertheless mold is one of the highest reasons that house sales fall through. Simple ventilation problems in the bathroom or ac system cause the mold to grow, but these issues are simple to treat and fix. Dodgy plumbing jobs behind walls also lead to mold issues, the good thing about mold is you can see and smell it. Make sure if you are doing the walkthrough that any damp spots are highlighted and investigated.
Foundation Cracks
If the home you are looking at buying has cracks up and down the walls inside the home and on the outer structure then get out and don’t buy! These could be related to foundation issues and could mean the house is sinking due to unfit soil and poor drainage standards.
These are just a few problems that can cause a deal to go sour, in any case, the home that you are looking to buy should be thoroughly checked out by a qualified home inspector.
Overall, know what you are getting yourself into before buying a home that can be done with a home review.
by cfbi1 | Jan 30, 2014 | Home Inspection
One of the benefits of a home inspection is that it can prevent many of the headaches that come with either buying or selling a property.
If it’s the case that you are looking to buy a home then a home inspection service is essential and is an excellent way to find hidden issues and problems that would have remained unnoticed and could become major concerns in the near future if untreated and left their current condition.
As the seller a home inspection services is a great way for you to have the home correctly checked over letting you get any problems or issues resolved before putting your property on the market. It also means that there will be wrangling over the price of the home with the buyer as you would have to foot the repair costs yourself, unless the seller contract is AS-IS condition.
It’s good practice, in any case, to always do your best and learn all about the benefits of a home inspection. You need to know what this service involves and what costs are expected to have the inspection carried out.
Usually a typical home inspection will include and cover the structure and cosmetic features of the home, all mechanical systems will also be checked for safety and functionality. There are also many other aspects and these include:
- Interior of the home and its condition
- Exterior of the home and its condition
- Heating and AC systems
- Plumbing system
- Electrical system
- Foundation assessed
- Roof condition evaluated
- Crawl spaces explored
- Baths and Toilets
- All built-in kitchen appliances checked.
All in all, a home inspection will cover a wide and varied number of aspects and components; depending on the size and age of the house being inspected. A home inspection can take anything from 2-4 hours to complete. The price of a home inspection also varies and this is determined by size, age and type of structure.
by cfbi1 | Jan 28, 2014 | Home Inspection
When you start looking to buy a home, one of the most important things to do before the purchase is complete have it checked over by a professional experienced home inspector.
For those going through the process of buying it is crucial that they fully understand it is an expensive undertaking, Thoughts like, “Why do I need to pay out another $400 or more, if I don’t really need to,” are legitimate thoughts, and a reason that could deter buyers from hiring a home inspection service.
Don’t give into thought and doubts such as these because, as the homebuyer, you need the assurance that the property being purchased is strong, safe, and sound. In essence, a home inspection doesn’t “cost” per say, it pays in the end to know if the structure’s foundation is weak or any other issues that could contribute to high repair costs in the future.
A home inspection can offer a Contingency
Some people might not know that a home inspection can be used as a contingency plan in your purchase offer; this shows just how important and how beneficial this service can be! This means that if there are serious or major defects with the property in question, you can walk away and/or back out of your offer free of any penalty. It’s important to note that its only very serious issues or defects that will allow you as the buyer to walk away from any contract of significance, (be sure to go over the contract in detail with your realtor before making an offer).
The bare truth about a home inspection
The bottom line is this; yes a home inspection will cost you some of your well-earned cash and your already limited time. A home inspection protects you in the end can save you thousands of dollars in repairs, which could have been eliminated at the start by the current owner—not you. If you are a homebuyer don’t skip this service, know for sure that your property purchase is worth the amount that you are paying.
by cfbi1 | Jan 27, 2014 | Home Inspection
Florida is a beautiful state, hot temperatures, blue skies, and sunshine pretty much all year round. There is, however, a real menace attacking homes up and down the state of Florida and that menace is termites.
Testing for termites is not always included in a routine home inspection, but rather a specialist service only available on request from major home inspection companies.
How safe is your home?
Is your home vulnerable and at risk from termites? How do you know if it is termite-free?
Foundation
A few things you need to consider, the first, and most important factor is the foundation of your home. You need to be sure that the foundation of your home is sound, meaning that it is free from cracks, splits, decay, and/or any crumbling.
It has been found by researchers, up to 90% of termite infestation cases have been the result of wood with direct contact to the soil surrounding the structure. A sound foundation should never include a base that has wood directly touching the soil!
As termites crawl around on the ground, you don’t want the wood of your home being the first thing they come in contact with, especially if they are hungry and there is a few thousand of them!
Moisture
Your home can also be at risk if it has moisture issues and problems, as the termites are known to be drawn to the dark damp areas of your home. Being that the foundation is the one thing meant to support and keep your home level and upright, make certain it has not been compromised by these persistent pests.
Age of the property
It’s a sad fact, but the age of the home can also determine the level of risk. Older homes at higher risks of infestation than new houses, due to lower quality building standards at the time it was built.
The key is to be wary, vigilant, and contact a professional inspection company that offers termite specialty inspections. Remember termites caught at the right time can be treated and eradicated, but nothing beats early detection and prevention to keep them out.
by cfbi1 | Jan 22, 2014 | Home Inspection
It can take months and even years to find the right home that is suitable for you and your family to grow. There are many things that you need take into consideration, schooling, travel distance to work, and even proximity to hospitals. That’s why when you finally decide on the home you want to buy that you think about hiring the services of a home inspection company. A home could be perfect in regards to an area location, schools, travel time to work, but if its foundation structure is compromised, you’ll want to know. An inspection simply ensures you get all the right information on a property along with peace of mind.
Buying a home for most people will be the largest financial step they will ever take, so in this case you need to be sure that the steps and decisions you make are the best ones financially, to safeguard both your family and future. It’s too big a decision to take lightly and flippantly, some people see a home inspection as an added cost that is only putting more strain on them, which can be a costly mistake, try not to let that happen to you.
The reality is very simple a home inspection is a service that you cannot afford to ignore or disregard. It helps you in to a make a well-rounded decision. Also consider the idea that the property that you want may need speciality services such as testing for termites and/or mold.
There are many areas, as the buyer in need of your attention, possibly the most important of them is the decision to hire a home inspector. When hiring the services of a home inspection company make sure that you look and find a highly recommended company. Always check to make sure the company you choose to hire is professional, certified, licensed, and insured.
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