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Buying or Selling a Home/new home construction purchase

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Expert: John McKenna, CMI - 6/8/2007


Question
I am currently under contract to purchase a home that I have been overseeing construction daily since land clearing in a subdivision.  I will be closing august 8th of this year.  Any changes and upgrades are all communicated through e-mail and monies due for these paid in advance when agreed upon.  Since the very beginning I have had to keep an eye on the construction due to poor subcontractors doing the work and many requests purchased or asked for had to be fixed or accommodated afterwards only if I caught them.  I have been dealing with the builders on site realtor since I did not use one myself. (she is the one I signed and place deposit monies with).  My concern is when the closing date arrives, some of the issues will not be resolved and be pushed to close anyway with assurance that the issues will be resolved. The realtor says no problems will arise that the builder could not handle during the warranty time frame.  Since talking to many of the homeowners, fixing problems after closing is a nightmare with the builder and when they react to the problems it's cost effective patch time. Not sure what my rights are. Do I have to close without penalty if the issues are not corrected?  Is it heard of to hire a professional to do the walkthough and what title would this professional be found in the tele book?  Thanks for your advice in advance.  

Answer
I recommend that you hire a qualified attorney and professional home inspector ASAP.  You need to know your rights, and what is indeed on your contract NOW.  Do not wait.  Act NOW.

If you wait too long, then problems in the construction process can be covered up and harder to discover.  

I hope this has helped you and good luck,

John McKenna, CMI
Certified Master Inspector
American Home Inspection
http://texas-inspection.com

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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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