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Question
Hi John,
I'm looking at buying a house built in 1923. The list price is $525,000 (Northern California) The initial building inspection provided by the seller shows about $36,000 in repairs that will need to be addressed. Mainly dry rot in various locations. (Mainly under the from steps.) No visible damage, and i think it can wait to be repaired at a later date.
The house is on an unlevel lot (slight lower hillside).
It's a buyers market right now, and the house has been up for sale since June. Should i get my own building inspection or is that redundant?
I was thinking about offering $450,000 with two contingencies. One for a soil inspection, to make sure i'm not sliding down the hill someday, and a structural inspection to make sure the foundation is sound.....minus the dry rot issue, or including the dry rot issue.
In the event that the inspections show serious problems i can either back out or renegotiate the price even lower.
Can i please get you imput on this?
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Wayne
By all means hire your own Inspector and here is why:
* What if the first Inspector was negligent?
* You were not present at the inspection.
* It's hard to hold an Inspector responsible if
he was not hired by you.
* You want an Inspector who works for you, not the local
Realtors or the Seller.
* It's a small fee compare to the risk of buying such an
expensive purchase, your home.
* Be sure to attend the Inspection in order to see
everything firsthand. It will give you a lot of
understanding.
* Get Professional bids on the cost evaluation, not just an
Inspectors guess. They do not repair things like a
Professional and make mistakes.
In Texas, Inspectors do not make cost evaluations. We do
an inspection only, and are not there to bid on the repairs.
If you find more items than previously discovered, the
Inspection fee will pay for itself. If you discover
something's that are really bad, it will save you from
buying a "money pit". Buy with your eyes open and hire
the most qualified Inspector you can find.
I hope this has helped you. I feel strongly about this,
because I have gone behind someone else's Inspector and
found all kinds of things that they missed.
Let me know how it turns out for you.
Good Luck.
John McKenna
Certified Master Inspector
American Home Inspection
http://texas-inspection.com
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thanks for saving me from the money pit! | ||
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John McKenna, CMI
Expertise
I can answer your question about home inspections and the hidden aspects of of the industry. I own American Home Inspection for east Texas and am a Certified Master Inspector. Sometimes there are questions about buying and selling a home that a qualified and honest home inspector can answer. Many people are led to believe incomplete information about repair items and make costly mistakes when they respond. If you do not know enough information or know what to ask, you can buy a nightmare instead of a home. Is your home inspector working for you or the Realtor? Is the owner of the home telling the truth? How do you make sure the contractor who makes repairs will do it right? Is the Realtor moving too fast and causing a person to make hasty choices? What are some of the things the Realtor does not want you to know? What you discover after you are the owner of the home and then decide to sell? What type of box can the home inspector put you in when the new buyer is now inspecting your home? What can you do if the home inspector was negligent? How do you prepare for a home inspection? What should you do with the home inspection report at the negotiating table? What are the signs of sheeple being led to the slaughter? Why do some realtors hate the "deal killer" home inspector? What type of action can you take now to protect yourself from law suite after someone buys your home? When is something a minor or major problem? What are the most common problems found in a home inspection? What can you do to prepare for a home inspection? What questions can you ask the home inspector so you choose the right one? The list goes on and on... "The truth will make you free"
Experience
Over 25 years experience in construction and board certified as a Certified Master Inspector. Licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission as a Professional Home Inspector (TREC #4565) and Certified by the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI).
Education/Credentials
Certified Master Inspector (CMI)
National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI)
Licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC #4565)
See more info: http://texas-inspection.com
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