Steinhausen Home Inspections

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When Should I Have My Home Inspection Done?

Home Buyers: If you are buying a house you should stipulate in your offer that you would like a whole house inspection. You should also state the conditions of the inspection such as time frame for scheduling and contingency plan in the event that there are problems or issues that were neither evident nor disclosed at the time the offer was made. It would also be in your best interest to contact your potential home inspector to make tentative arrangements prior to finalizing the offer agreement.

The best time to have an inspection done is soon after the offer is made. This way if there are any problems that require repair or negotiation, there is plenty of time to make respective arrangements. The buyer will still have the opportunity to inspect the house on the final walkthrough prior to closing to make sure that the house is in the same condition it was when the offer agreement was made, and confirm the seller has completed any repairs that were agreed to in the offer and/or as a result of the home inspection report.

Home Sellers: I am often called by home sellers regarding “pre-sale inspections”. I think it is not in the seller's best interest to have an inspection prior to putting the house on the market. I personally think it is in the best interest of the buyer to have an post-offer inspection rather than rely on a pre-sale inspection. There may be many problems that arise in the interim between a pre-sale inspection and the time the offer is made. Plus, there could be a perception of bias towards the seller on a pre-sale inspection since they are the ones paying me and the buyer would have no recourse in the event of an error or omission. I've also looked at numerous homes that had been inspected by competitors, prior to my inspection, and every time I find serious problems that were either overlooked or omitted from the report.

Home Owners: Home owners often call me to advise them regarding problems. I enjoy the opportunity to consult with homeowners regarding their properties, investigate various questions and issues, and try to find solutions. I do inspections to resolve contractor disputes, consult homeowners regarding roofing and foundation issues, and I love trying to solve those occasional house phenomenon mysteries.