Whether you’re buying or selling a property, a home inspection is one step that anyone with any sense will tell you to take. You might think you already know everything about a property you are selling, or you might feel confident enough in a property you’re buying that seems great to your own eye. Neither situation warrants skipping a proper and professional inspection, and below we’ll explain in more detail why that is.
Here’s why you can’t afford not to look for pre purchase property inspections:
Reason 1: The Most Serious Problems Are Often Unseen
When it comes to property, it’s very common for buildings to look solid and even beautiful on the outside, all while hiding a dark and dangerous secret underneath, perhaps hidden away in the foundations, or within the walls, the water or sewage pipes, the electrics…and so many more. To the untrained eye, a property can look in perfect condition, but it’s only when a knowledgeable professional gets in there that the full extent of problems can be discovered.
What’s more, these hard-to-discover problems are invariably serious and could end up costing a lot to repair or renovate, which is critical when factoring in an offer to buy a property. A full and proper inspection should reveal any and all problems, or hopefully none at all so that you can confidently make an over-the-odds bid for your dream property in an effort to secure it against competing buyers.
Reason 2: The Trained Eye Can Survey Everything
Following on from the previous point, it’s impossible to deny that the trained eye is simply far more effective in these situations than the untrained one. Even people with experience buying properties and who may even have been stung before on certain problems won’t be able to pick up on every problem. The previous house you bought had unknown foundation issues that cost thousands to fix, so this time you scrutinised the foundation very carefully, only to later discover that something else was wrong. You just can’t win them all.
But do you know who can win them all for you? A professional property inspector.
Reason 3: You Can Avoid a Potential Financial Albatross
If you were to purchase a property and then discover one or more of the problems that we’ve mentioned further above, your dream home could quickly turn into a financial nightmare. The costs of replacing the electrics, plumbing, and/or repairing the foundation could essentially mean that you’ve paid way over the odds to live in that place. Add to that the burdens of your mortgage, and you’re potentially in real trouble!
Reason 4: You Can Avoid Buying a Deathtrap
Beyond financial considerations, one should also consider that purchasing an uninspected property in which hidden problems lurk can mean that you are buying a potential deathtrap for you and your family. A house with unreliable wiring, out-of-date plumbing, cracked foundations, subsidence and worse is hardly a fitting or safe place to bring up children.
Inspections can also reveal any hidden substances such as asbestos, which may have been installed many years prior and never properly or fully removed. The fact that many properties around the world still have asbestos discovered in them means that all but the newest homes are potentially at risk.
Reason 5: It Can Accelerate the Sale of Your Current Property
Finally, when you’re planning to sell your property, holding a full and professional pre-purchase inspection is often exactly what you need to get potential buyers over the line to make a serious and competitive offer. Some buyers are reluctant to bid when they suspect there might be problems as they’re afraid of all the factors we’ve mentioned above. Kick-start your property sale by providing a top-notch inspection report to allay any fears buyers may have.
