If you want to buy a house, you should have it inspected before you make a final decision. If the inspector discovers any serious problems, you’ll be able to request repairs, negotiate the price, or walk away.
If the owner of a house you’re looking at had it inspected before putting it on the market, you might think you can skip your own inspection and save some money. That could be a costly mistake.
Why a Seller Might Get a Pre-Listing Inspection
It’s considered standard practice for a buyer to get an inspection, but sometimes a seller gets a pre-listing inspection. Being proactive can help the seller avoid a hassle later. If the inspector discovers a serious issue, the seller can make repairs before putting the house on the market. If the seller doesn’t have enough money to have a problem fixed or is in a hurry to move out, the seller can disclose the issue to potential buyers and factor the cost of repairs into the list price.
Why You Should Always Get Your Own Inspection
When making a major purchase, such as a house, you need accurate, up-to-date information. Even if the seller provides a pre-listing inspection report, you should still hire your own inspector.
The seller’s inspector might have missed something. If so, your inspector can flag the issue, and you can request repairs or a price reduction or decide to look for a different property.
The seller’s inspector might have identified one or more issues that needed to be addressed. If the seller hired contractors to make repairs, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they did the job right. Workers might have cut corners, made mistakes, failed to address a problem, or even made it worse.
If the house has been on the market for several months, the information in the seller’s inspection report can be outdated. The house might have damage now that it didn’t have when the first inspection was performed. If the problem is significant, you can insist on repairs or a price reduction or choose to walk away.
Get Your Own Inspection
Before you move forward with a home purchase, you should hire your own, independent inspector. If your inspector finds that the house is free of any major issues, you’ll have peace of mind. If the inspection uncovers one or more significant problems, you can work with your real estate agent and the seller to address them. Either way, you will understand the condition of the house and will be able to make a decision that’s in your best interest.
