Home Inspection Tips for First Time Buyers

Home Inspections for First Time Buyers

Congratulations, you are embarking on one of the most exciting experiences in life! Unfortunately, first-time home buying can also be incredibly stressful. One of the most significant aspects of your new home purchase will be working with your home inspector. A home inspection can make or break a home investment and we have put together our favorite tips when it comes to this particular process.

Tip #1 – A Professional Home Inspector

Finding a qualified home inspector can be like finding a needle in a haystack, which can leave you overwhelmed with options. You can start by getting recommendations from your realtor, family, and friends as a good starting point. Here are a few factors to also consider in finding the right home inspector for you.

• Check for required state licenses needed by a home inspector
• Check to see if your inspector has insurance
• Check to see if your inspector is a part of a trade association

Tip #2 – Attend Your Inspection

It might be tempting to not attend your home inspection, considering that you will be getting a written report when the inspection is wrapped up. Attending a home inspection will allow the inspector to walk you through some of the factors that may play a role in the future ownership of the home. This is a great opportunity for you to ask a lot of questions about the home itself and the longevity of some of the components within it.

When you choose not to attend your home inspection, you miss the chance to learn about important factors that might not come through on a home inspection report. That can be anything from a piece of mechanical equipment that you are unfamiliar with or features of a system that you may not know about.

Tip #3 – Relax and Work Through the Findings

All too often, a new home buyer will receive their home inspection filled with all kinds of issues or problems. It would be easy to assume that this would be detrimental to your home purchase, but take a step back and look at it with your realtor. Some of the findings may actually be very small fixes that the homeowner will be willing to take on. The job of your home inspector is to ensure you know everything about your new home, the good and the bad.

Tip #4 – Let Your Realtor Lead

A home inspection can be a great negotiating tool in the home buying process. When you receive the results of your home inspection, look it over with your realtor who will help you determine what to do next. Your realtor is there to work for you and your best interests, so trust them in that process with the help of your home inspection.

If you are looking to move forward in a home purchase and want a qualified professional home inspector, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Pac West Home Inspections or visit our scheduling page.