Smart Home Inspection Questions

Posted October 16, 2014

Photo credit: apbeatty / Foter / CC BY

Smart Home Inspection Questions for Buying Your New FishHawk Ranch Home

When you buy a home, you need to know exactly what you’re buying. One of the most important items to complete is the Home Inspection. Generally, the sales contract will specify how many days you will have from going under contract to get the home inspection done. Purchasing a home is probably the largest purchase you will make in your lifetime. Don’t leave the shape of the home to chance! Imagine how frustrated you’d be to find that the air conditioner is not working properly or the roof leaks when it rains. These are just a few of the reasons why you should always have a home inspection done before you buy your home. A home inspection is an important part of buying your FishHawk Ranch home but before you hire a home inspector, ask candidates a few questions to make sure you hire a good, experienced inspector.

What does the inspection cover? Not all inspections are the same. Ask for copies of previous home inspections so you can see exactly what they will check inside the home. If you are concerned about something specific, like Chinese drywall, mention that to the inspector to ensure that is something they check.
Are they licensed or certified? In Florida, home inspectors are required to be licensed with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Click here to verify a home inspector’s license. If you live in a state that does not require a home inspector to be licensed, at the very least choose a home inspector who belongs to the American Society of Home Inspectors. This shows a level of professionalism and education that you can trust.
What kind of report will the home inspector give you? You should expect a written report detailing what the inspector found. Most inspectors will give you a typed report within a couple of days from the inspection. Make sure the inspector will be available to explain anything on the report that doesn’t make sense to you.
Will you be able to attend the inspection? If the inspector refuses to let you be present during the home inspection, find someone else. This is your chance to know exactly what you are buying and what potential repairs you or the seller will have to make. If you do attend the inspection stay out of the way. Let the inspector do their job. They will bring to your attention any items that may be of concern.

I do have a home inspection company that I use a lot and seems to do a great job. If you would like their contact information please let me know.

Note: The home inspector’s job is to find items that are wrong with the property. No home is perfect and there is a good chance the list will be long. Don’t concern yourself with the small stuff. Those items are easy to repair. Worry about the big stuff like Chinese Drywall, roof, and foundation issues.

About the author

The above FishHawk Ranch real estate article “Smart Home Inspection Questions” was written by Jeff Gould.

Jeff is a top-selling, nationally recognized REALTOR® and local FishHawk Ranch real estate expert. You will find him selling homes in Tampa Bay, Florida, and surrounding areas. Some of those areas include FishHawk, Lithia, Riverview, Valrico, Apollo Beach, Brandon, and Tampa.

If you are looking to sell or buy a Tampa Bay area home, Jeff is your local and trusted professional. He can be reached via phone/text at (813) 421-3007 or by contacting him below.