Sussex County Association of REALTORS^®
Bi-Monthly Real Estate Article
The Sussex Countian and Milford Beacon

You finally found it - the house you want to buy. You've worked with your REALTOR^® to negotiate the contract and the agreement has been made. Your REALTOR^®, in most cases, has made sure that an "inspection clause" has been included in the purchase agreement. The clause allows you to renegotiate the contract if the inspection reveals a major problem. Now it's time for a home inspection.

Why have a home inspection? Buying a home is a major purchase and an investment, so it's important to have a skilled, qualified professional take an objective look at the condition of the property and prepare a report. An inspector can save you a lot of grief and expense by identifying potential problems.

The first step is finding an inspector. Home inspection services are listed in the Yellow Pages of your local phone book (most likely under "Building Inspection Services" or "Real Estate Inspectors") and on www.scaor.com. Your REALTOR^® is also a good resource for home inspection services.

An inspector should be a professional who inspects around the property checking for structural and equipment flaws and provides you with a written report of his or her findings. The inspector should not have any vested interest in the transaction and should be a member of a trade association, such as the American Society of Home Inspectors. Like REALTORS^®, these members have agreed to abide by a written code of ethics and prescribed standards of practice that are designed to protect prospective home buyers. You should also check the reputation of the service. Ask your REALTOR^® or business associates for a list of reputable inspectors.

Before you sign a contract for a home inspection find out exactly what the inspector will evaluate. Ask what the basic charge is and what additional services such as radon or water testing might cost. Make sure you review your purchase contract to understand exactly what your inspection should cover and that your inspector is prepared to inspect those items. Also, ask how long an inspection takes on average. A thorough inspection should take a couple of hours or more, depending on the size of the property and the elements.

Once you select the service you want to use, what can you expect from the home inspection? Inspectors focus primarily on the condition of the structural, electrical and mechanical functions of a house. They will tell you about any defects they find and give you an estimate on the cost of repairing or replacing the defect, but they will not recommend whether or not you should purchase the house.

In most situations, inspectors look for significant defects only. For example, they check central heating systems, central cooling systems, interior plumbing systems and components, the roof's structural soundness, walls, ceilings and floors, foundations and basements, and the operation of built-in appliances. A standard contract does not usually require that they test every single door and window or electrical outlet in the house, only a representative sample. Things outside, such as pools and sheds, may not be included in the standard package either.

Unless they are specifically contracted to do otherwise, inspectors do not check for termites, asbestos or radon. You may also need to hire an additional specialist for an inspection of swimming pool, tennis court or septic system.

After the inspection is completed, you should receive a written report detailing the structural and operational condition of the house. Do not accept a verbal report. It's important to have the report documented.

The report should include an assessment of the quality of parts of the house such as drainage, exterior walls, doors, windows, porches, decks, chimneys, skylights, basements, gutters, crawl spaces, attics, ventilation, insulation, plumbing systems, water heater, electrical systems, heating and cooling systems, flooring, etc. Current problems should also be addressed in the report, which might be in the form of worksheets or a checklist covering what was inspected. It may also include remarks from the inspector. Regardless of the form the report takes, it should provide you with a realistic idea of the overall condition of the house. You and your REALTOR^® will use this report to communicate with the seller regarding corrections that must be made to the property before completing your purchase.

Talk with your REALTOR^® about arranging a home inspection. It could save you money and heartache.

The Sussex County Association of REALTORS^® (www.scaor.com) is one of four professional REALTOR^® trade associations in Delaware for individuals involved in the real estate industry and allied industries and firms. With membership of over 1,300 REALTORS^® from more than 100 real estate offices in Sussex County and surrounding areas, SCAOR provides products, programs and services for its members. SCAOR is located at 23407 Park Avenue in Georgetown and can be reached at (302) 855-2300.