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Home Inspections
Real Estate professionals should always recommend their buyer to get a home inspection. It is the best way to discover what is wrong or right with the home, BEFORE you decide to purchase. Homebuyers receive an unbiased and professional opinion about the home they are about to purchase. Home inspectors look way beyond paint and rotting wood. They look at the entire structure of the home and will help uncover costly repair items.
The home inspection is typically performed just after the offer is accepted on the property and during the “option period”. The option period is usually negotiated with the help of your buyer’s agent and gives the buyer time to make sure they know everything about the condition of the home. An option period in Texas is typically 10 days and the buyer usually pays $100-$200, which is usually credited to the buyer at closing.
Purchasing a home is one of the largest investments of your time and money you will ever make. It is no wonder then that many homebuyers employ professionals to inspect the structural and mechanical systems of the home and report to them on their condition. Sometimes sellers also employ Home Inspectors to alert them to problems with their homes which could arise later in the transaction. But normally Home Inspectors are employed by buyers. Most home buyers are not entirely educated about every structural element of a home. Therefore, hiring a home inspector gives them a great opportunity to become educated on many items in a home that they were not even aware existed. Real Estate professionals highly recommend that the buyer be present during the entire home inspection.
So what does a home inspection include?
A home inspection includes a non biased expert opinion on the condition of the structure. They fill out an inspection report regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission and mark each item as needs repair, not inspected, or condition good. A home inspector is not a trade expert on every structural item in a home. They inspect items for functionality and if a repair or “trade inspection” is needed. For example..if the inspector finds that the roof has a few shingles missing, they would call it on the report and suggests that a qualified roofing company do a through inspection and repair. Or if the inspector finds out that the air conditioner does not cool properly, they would call it out and recommend that a qualified HVAC company come out and inspect the entire system. Both examples do not indicate that the entire roof needs to be replaced or that the entire HVAC system is bad.
Q and As about Home inspections
Why Should I have a Home Inspected?
Most homebuyer’s lack the experience and knowledge of a home’s structural system. The structural system includes Electrical, plumbing, HVAC systems, appliances, and of course, the structure. A home inspection provides a non-biased expert opinion on the condition of the home. Home inspections can uncover costly repairs and health hazards. Once these items are uncovered, the buyer has the option (as long as they are within their option period) to buy the home, renegotiate the deal, or completely back out and forfeiting their option money.
Can anyone perform a home inspection?
No. Only persons licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission as a home inspector are able to perform the inspection. To qualify for licensure, they must satisfy certain experience and education requirements and pass a state exam. Their inspection must follow in accordance with the board’s standards of practice and code of ethics.
What does an inspection usually include?
The following is a sample list of normal items that are usually included in an inspection.
Structural Systems Foundation Grading and Drainage Roof Covering Roof Structure and Attic Interior and Exterior Walls Ceilings and Floors Doors Windows Fireplace and Chimney Attached Porches, Decks and Carports
Electrical Systems Service Entrance and Panels Branch Circuits - Connected Devices and Fixtures
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC) How a residential Air conditioner works Heating Equipment Cooling Equipment Ducts and Vents
Plumbing System Water Supply System and Fixtures Drains, Wastes and Vents Water Heating Equipment Hydro-Therapy Equipment Septic Systems
Appliances Dishwasher Food Waste Disposer Range Hood Ranges, Ovens and Cooktops Microwave Cooking Equipment Trash Compactor Bathroom Exhaust Fans and/or Heaters Garage Door Operators Dryer Vents Other Built In Appliances
So what happens if the inspector recommends an item be repaired?
With the help of the inspection report, you will determine if the item(s) are a safety hazard which needed to be remedied right away, a "big ticket" item like a roof replacement, or a few rotted boards and missing light bulbs. Obviously, there are no perfect homes out there so you will need to use the guidance of your buyer’s agent when deciding what to ask the sellers to repair or negotiate. You have two choices...have the sellers repair the item or receive a concession for the estimated repair costs. It has been my experience to take the concession as the sellers might want to use the cheapest repair service. Your Buyer's Agent will assist you with the negotiations.
How do I order an inspection?
Your Buyer's Agent can recommend inspectors that have proven to be knowledgeable and professional. Or you can find one on your own. The choice is yours. Just make sure that they are licensed by the state and have references. Once you have an "executed" sales contract, your Buyer's Agent will tell you it is time to get a home inspection. The inspection will need to be performed and reviewed by you and your Buyer's Agent during the option period. You want to allow ample amount of time for repair negotiations before the option period ends so the sooner the better but wait until you have a signed and executed contract.
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You are professional, knowledgeable, and we appreciated your honesty. Your attentiveness prompted me to cancel appointments with other realtors I had contacted. You kept us updated and answered all of our questions through out the whole process which kept us at ease. Your research of the area helped us locate the perfect house for us. I will recommend you to anyone in search of a home in your area. -Terrence - Pearland We just wanted to write and thank you for the excellent service you provided during our recent relocation. Lastly we would like to thank you for helping us negotiate an excellent deal with the builder of our choice. You facilitated us a contract far in excess of our expectations while keeping everything calm and businesslike. We felt you were truly out to look after our best interests and it was a pleasure to have you as our representative. -The Hambletons - League City Since we were moving from out-of-state, we greatly appreciated how he made himself completely available to us during the limited time we had for house-hunting. It was evident that he was sincerely interested in finding a home that met our needs, and not just trying to have us buy a house. He was particularly patient and courteous when we needed to step back and reassess what exactly we were looking for in our next home. Once we had made a decision, he was prompt in submitting the offer and professional in guiding us through the closing process. James Potenza was hands-down the best agent we have ever worked with, and I highly recommend him for anyone looking to buy a home in Houston. -The Visschers - Clear Lake James always had his research done for the houses we wanted to look at and more than once steered us clear of houses that looked great on paper but were in bad neighborhoods, built by problematic builders, etc. I learned more about houses by climbing into attics with James than I had in my previous five years of homeownership!
We highly recommend James to anyone
looking for a house in this area.
Ron & Mitali During the house hunt portion, James made himself available to our limited availability and tight time schedule to find the perfect house for us. During the negotiation phase, he obtained a fantastic price for us as well as additional amenities. During the inspection phase, he helped work through all of the issues which were identified. Lastly, when we had to be out of town to close out our old home, James kept on top of everything to ensure the process continued smoothly in our absence. Anything we needed, James took care of it. We are pleased to be able to recommend his services to any other clients but especially to those relocating to the area. -The Mancinis - League City James Potenza is an excellent agent. He made the process smooth and non-stressful. James let the property sell itself and always pointed out the positive and negative aspects so we could make an informed decision. There was never any pressure to buy and he encouraged us to take our time and shop around. James definitely had our best interest in mind throughout the entire buying process. We will certainly refer him to our friends and relatives.
-Brent and Jen - Pearland Being both a first-time home buyer and new to the Houston area, I feel very lucky to have found James. James was knowledgeable about the area in which I was looking to buy and very helpful in educating me about the buying process. He made sure he was available on the one weekend that I was able to fly to the area to look at homes. Once I found the house that was literally everything I could have hoped for in a first home, James ensured that the race toward our closing date proceeded smoothly. Now that I’m settled in my new home, I have to say that to call myself a satisfied client is an understatement, and that I am grateful to have found such an outstanding Realtor. -Ann - Pearland
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200 East Edgewood Dr. (2351 and 518) Friendswood, TX. 77546 ph: 832-372-6388 Texas Real Estate Brokerage License # 0536837 Friendswood Real Estate Home - Clear Lake Texas Real Estate - Pearland Real Estate - Sitemap - About Us - Contact Us |
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