When you are purchasing a home, it can be surprising how quickly the costs of the transaction add up. There are closing costs, inspection costs, moving costs, down payments. Maybe there are repairs or carpet cleaning that needs to be done before moving in to the new house. There is no doubt- it is expensive.
It can be tempting to look for short cuts, and ways to save money. Actually, let’s rephrase that- it is responsible to look for ways to save money. For many of us, including me, saving money is a necessity and a way of life.
So, once you have found the home you love and are under contract, it is time to get the home inspection. The price tag is about $300-400. You might wonder, is it worth it? Should I spend the $400 to have the home inspected, or is this a money saving opportunity?
Having the home inspected is a money saving opportunity
If there are any significant issues with the home, a qualified home inspector will find them. Finding them before closing means that you can ask for the seller to resolve the issues before you purchase the home, or you can walk away.
I personally feel very strongly about home inspections: get one, and spend the money to get a good one. I was very happy with our home inspection- the inspectors were incredibly knowledgeable, and professional. They went above and beyond the call of duty, and even taught me some home maintenance tricks.
Our exclusive buyer’s agent had previously worked in construction, and was very knowledgeable. So, every home viewing was like a mini home inspection. He did not find any structural problems with our home when we viewed it, and he didn’t expect that the home inspectors would find anything. They found a few small issues, but nothing serious.
Though our home inspectors did not find any significant issues:
1) We were confident in our purchase, unafraid of any lurking issues
2) We learned home maintenance tricks specific to our home
3) We were able to ask the home owner to resolve several safety issues before we moved in
Our exclusive buyer’s agent also recommended that we get our sewer line inspected, which is not part of the usual home inspection. This inspection is another $100. In this case, an issue was detected. There was a joint in the sewer line that needed to be replaced. This repair carried a price tag of $2,000 (and, nobody wants issues with a sewer. )
The seller made the repair.
Our home inspections saved us $2,000. Home buyers tip: the answer is YES, home inspections are worth it!
