Real Estate Search Direct

Last time you went to look at a property did you bring your home inspection checklist?

You’re thinking you want a professional home inspector to inspect a home before you buy it, aren’t you?

Homer Buyer thought the same way.  He didn’t feel qualified to do a full home inspection and he wanted a professional opinion on the condition of the home.

When Homer was looking for properties he saw many that were interesting, but was having a hard time choosing one.  He kept looking at homes and after a while, he couldn’t really remember the details.

He thought, “Was the one on Main Street the one with the built in barbecue in the back yard?  Or was that the one on Elm?”

So Homer kept looking and then he came across one that really stood out from the rest.  It had everything that Homer wanted.  It had a beautiful master suite, a nice view of the valley, and magnificent landscaping around a pool in the back yard.

When the seller’s agent showed Homer the property, he was enchanted with the place.  He just had to have this house.  The agent noted how infatuated Homer was and told his client to hold out for more money.

Homer made an offer for the full list price.  The client had listed the property at market value as determined by comparable sales, but the agent advised him to ask for more.

The seller countered Homer’s offer with a price $10,000.00 higher.  Homer accepted the counter offer, afraid that he might lose the house if he countered with a lower price.

When Homer had the house inspected, he found out that the roof needed repair and the foundation was cracked.  Homer didn’t have any idea what the repairs would cost.

Following the advice of his real estate agent, Homer asked the seller for $11,000 repair credit, but the seller countered his offer with $3,500 repair credit.  Homer was almost ready to accept the deal, but  his fiancée, Ivana Newhouse, told him to get some repair estimates before he went through with it.

Homer had a couple of contractors make bids for the roof and another couple of bids on the foundation.  The lowest bids came to a total of $13,700.

Homer ended up backing out of the contract because the seller wouldn’t give him the repair credit of more than $3500 even wen Homer presented the written estimates.

Homer realized he would not have made an offer in the first place if he had known about the roof damage and foundation problems ahead of time.

He also would not have given the seller the upper hand by letting him know how anxious he was to have that house.

If Homer had taken a home inspection checklist with him and evaluated the condition of the property objectively when he went to see the house, he would have noticed the problems.  He also would have avoided paying for a professional inspection and appraisal on a house he eventually didn’t buy.

Not only that, he would have been so busy asking questions, taking notes and looking in hidden spaces for problems that he wouldn’t have become too emotionally attached to the property.

He would have had a much stronger bargaining position if he had shown how serious he was to know the condition of the property from the start, instead of showing how much he wanted the house.

Always take a home inspection checklist when looking at properties.  It provides several advantages.

• You will have a written record of the condition of the property as well as notes on what features and amenities were there.
• You will not overlook obvious maintenance problems that may eliminate the property from your list of possibiles.
• You will have a better negotiating position if you show you are dealing from facts, not emotions.
• You have more of a chance to learn about what costs may be involved in various repairs before you are caught up in negotiations.

A home inspection checklist is not meant to take the place of a professional home inspection, but it can make a professional inspection unnecessary if it indicates problems that discourange you from buying the house.

When making one of the biggest investments of your life, you should take a calm objective look at it.  Don’t let your emotions drive you to make a mistake.  The best way to remain objective is to follow a checklist and don’t overlook anything.

To get a free home inspection checklist click here.