08 Jan WHEN A HOME INSPECTOR FINDS AN ISSUE WITH YOUR HOME
When a Home Inspector Finds an Issue
Imagine you’ve found the perfect home. You love it. You’ve made an offer
that’s been accepted. So far so good! The only catch? You’ve wisely made
the offer conditional on passing a professional home inspection.
What happens if that home inspection reveals a major issue?
First, you should know that, depending on the age of the property, a home
inspection will typically turn up at least a few areas of concern. The
inspector might find loose insulation in the attic that is thinning out or roofing
shingles that will need replacing in two or three years.
Issues like those are not usually deal-breakers.
However, if the home inspector finds a major issue — such as old wiring
that’s worn and presents a safety concern — then you’re facing a potentially
high cost of repair should the deal go through.
In a situation like that, as your real estate agent, I will address the issue with
the seller, usually through the seller’s agent. Since neither of you will want
to lose the deal, the seller often agrees to get the repair done at his own
expense or, have some or all of the estimated repair cost deducted from the
sale price.
Will the deal be in jeopardy? Usually not. In most cases, if you have a real
estate agent like me working in your best interests, it all works out.