Home Inspections Prevent Future Headaches

Suppose you bought a house and later discovered that the stucco exterior concealed a nasty case of dry rot. Or suppose that when you fired up the furnace in the winter, you discovered a cracked heat exchanger leaking gas into your home. The best way to avoid unpleasant surprises like these is to arrange for a home inspection before buying a home.

Home Inspections Help You Avoid Unpleasant Surprises
A good home inspection is an objective, top-to-bottom examination of a home and everything that comes with it. The standard inspection report includes a review of the home's heating and air-conditioning systems; plumbing and wiring; roof, attic, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, foundation and basement.

Getting a professional inspection is crucial for older homes because age often takes its toll on the roof and other hard-to-reach areas. Problems can also be the result of neglect or hazardous repair work, such as a past owner's failed attempt to install lights and an outlet in a linen closet.

A home inspection is also a wise investment when buying a home. In fact, new homes frequently have defects, whether caused by an oversight during construction or simply human error.

Getting a Professional Inspection
As your real estate agent I can provide a list of experienced home inspectors. You can also find one through word-of-mouth referrals, or look in the Yellow Pages or online under "Building Inspection" or "Home Inspection."

Home inspections cost about a few hundred dollars, depending on the size of the house and location. Inspection fees tend to be higher in urban areas than in rural areas. You may find the cost of inspection high, but it is money well spent. Think of buying a home as an investment in your future home.

Some builders may try to dissuade you from getting a home inspection on a home they've built. They may not necessarily be trying to hide anything because most builders guarantee their work and will fix any problems in your new home before you move in. Some builders, in fact, will offer to do their own inspections. But it's best to have an objective professional inspection - insist on a third-party inspector.

An Inspection Will Educate You about Your House
Education is another good reason for getting an inspection. Most buyers want to learn as much as they can about their purchase so they can protect their investment. An examination by an impartial home inspector helps in this learning process.

Most inspectors are glad to share their knowledge, and you'll be able to ask plenty of questions.

Inspection Timing and Results
Homebuyers usually arrange for an inspection after signing a contract or purchase agreement with the seller. The results may be available immediately or within a few days. The home inspector will review his or her findings with you and alert you to any costly or potentially hazardous conditions. In some cases, you may be advised not to buy the home unless such problems are remedied.

You could include a clause in your purchase agreement that makes your purchase contingent upon satisfactory inspection results. If major problems are found, you can back out of the deal. If costly repairs are warranted, the seller may be willing to adjust the home's price or the contract's terms. But when only minor repairs are needed, the buyer and seller can usually work out an agreement that won't affect the sale price.



This website displays data from various sources that we believe to be reliable. However, the possibility of typographical errors does exist and errors should be expected. Please contact me at (501) 993-6611 to verify all information before making any decision based on the information contained on this site. Some properties which appear for sale on this website may subsequently have sold and may no longer be available. The information being provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

Information Deemed Reliable but Not Guaranteed. The content relating to real estate for sale on this website appears courtesy of Cooperative Arkansas REALTORS® Multiple Listing Services (CARMLS). Neither CARMLS nor its brokers make any warranties as to the accuracy of the listing information appearing here. Buyers are advised to confirm Vendor/Firm all facts before making purchase decisions. Individual listings appear with the permission of the real estate brokerage Vendor/Firms named as listing offices on the properties. This site does not contain all MLS listings: the listings of some real estate Vendor/Firms do not appear on this site, and some properties listed with Vendor/Firms contributing listings to this site do not appear at the request of the sellers.

Copyright 2018 Cooperative Arkansas REALTORS® Multiple Listing Services