Buying or Selling a Home/Valve Leak

Advertisement

Expert: - 2/22/2011


Question
I just bought a house in Oakland, CA after waiving my inspection rights.  I've moved in and discovered that when using the shower upstairs, leakage occurs in a light fixture downstairs.  This is an FHA loan.  I've contacted my agent and he wrote to the seller's agent.  The sellers asked the contractor who worked on the place to call me, which he did but he said that it's only a courtesy call and that he really has no responsibility.  He suggested that I get a home warranty.  What options do I have at this point?  Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hey, Chris.

Unfortunately, you are yet one more example of why one should never waive a home inspection.

At this point I have to agree with the contractor. Your home warranty should cover a lot of whatever damage there is and the repairs, but that's only if you have a home warranty. Getting a home warranty after the fact and then lying about things would be insurance fraud, a federal crime.

If you have a home warranty, call your company. If you don't, accept what happened, fix it, and move on, and always remember to protect yourself. Saving a few hundred dollars on a home inspection is just not worth it in the long run.

Hope that helps.

Russel

Buying or Selling a Home

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Russel Ray

Expertise

Through home inspections, I provide an education about real estate. I'm one of those rare home inspectors who has been involved in real estate in many different capacities: as a Realtor (in Texas), as a property investor/flipper, as a teacher, and as a marketing expert (for Realtors and home inspectors). I believe that my experience as a Realtor and property investor provides me with a different viewpoint about home inspections in that I work for my Clients, but when there are other people involved in helping my Clients, then I firmly believe in helping them, too. That includes Realtors (both the seller's and the buyer's), repair professionals (e.g., plumbers, electricians, etc.). If I can get all the players (seller, seller's Realtor, buyer, buyer's Realtor, and repair professionals) playing in the same sandbox together to accomplish goals as a TEAM (Together Everyone Accomplishes More), then I believe I have succeeded in my job as a home inspector. My profession is, in my opinion, much more than simply documenting the condition of a property and then take the money and run. I am also a rare breed in that I don't believe that one inspection fits the needs of all Clients, and I have led the industry in understanding that fact. For example, the goals of a property investor are far different than the goals of someone buying a property to live in. The goals of a seller (a pre-listing inspection) are far different than the goals of a buyer (a pre-purchase inspection). To that end, I offer 14 different types of inspections, e.g., STANDARD, LIST, RENTER, BASIC, MAINTENANCE, SPOT, and more. I believe in giving the benefit of the doubt to all professionals in whatever industry they represent until they prove me wrong.

Experience

Over 42 years in all aspects of real estate--building homes, renovating homes, inspecting homes, Realtor.

Organizations
National Association of Certified Home Inspector, Better Business Bureau of San Diego

Education/Credentials
Graduate of Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.