A home inspection may set you back several hundred dollars, but it can easily save you thousands down the line. Before you officially become the new owner of a house, learn all you can about its general condition. Here are four reasons you don’t want to skip a home inspection:

 

Find deal-breakers. A house may look fantastic, but could have major structural or technical issues with its wiring, roof, plumbing and more. A quality home inspection will give you the inside scoop on a house before it becomes your home. If the inspection reveals any large problems that would require heavy maintenance or expensive repairs, you may want to back out of the deal. Having an inspection contingency in your contract gives you a way to opt out even after you are officially under contract. If the inspection reveals major problems, but you like the home too much to back away, you can ask the seller to fix the problems before the closing date. Sellers will usually agree to cover any major repairs or to offer the buyer a credit toward overseeing the repairs themselves.

 

 

 

Safety concerns. An inspection can reveal the presence of harmful substances like radon, carbon monoxide and mold. Look for these hazards before the home is officially yours. You don’t want any unpleasant surprises after it’s too late.

 

 

 

Anticipate future costly repairs. A home’s systems and equipment may appear to be working perfectly when they are actually on their last legs. A professional inspector will be able to determine the age and condition of the home’s systems and equipment, and then forecast when they may need to be updated or replaced. This might not be a big enough deal for you to back out of the contract, but it will help you budget for a major repair several years down the line.

 

 

Negotiate. Most home inspections will reveal several problems. If these problems are minor enough to keep you interested in buying the house in its present condition, you can use them as bargaining chips to renegotiate the purchasing price of the home.

 

 

 

Are you in the market for a new home? Our experienced mortgage originators are here to help. Click here to visit our new online Mortgage Center, which allows you to apply for a SeaComm mortgage in as little as 20 minutes! You may also call us at (800) 764-0566 or visit your local SeaComm branch location.