What to Expect When Buying a Home

Buying a home?

The process can be stressful. A Home Inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but may seem to have the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, checklist, photographs, environmental reports and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this combined with the seller’s disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do?

Relax. Most of your Inspection Report will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These are nice to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:

Additional Inspection Services in Yakima, WA
  • Major Defects

    such as structural failure

  • Items that lead to major defects

    like a roof leak.

  • Health of Safety Issues

    items that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy or insure the home.

  • Safety Hazards

    such as a faulty electrical panel.

Items in these categories should be addressed either at time of sale or prior to occupying the home. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property.

Realize that the seller is under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the Inspection Report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter. It may be inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance items, conditions already listed on the seller’s disclosure or nit-picky items.

No home will “fail” an Inspection.  The purpose of the Home Inspection is to educate you as to the condition of the Home.  This applies to new homes with minor issues and to old Homes that may seem to be falling apart.  It is important to keep things in the right perspective.  Any home is worth the price you are willing to pay, if you are well aware of its condition.