Certified Probate & Trust Specialist 

As a Certified Probate & Trust Specialist you can rest assured that as a Real estate professional, I have the understanding of the Probate transaction and can represent sellers or buyers in probate transactions, as well as investors looking to purchase probate properties. 

Thinking of Selling or Buying Probate Properties?

HOME INSPECTION

A home inspection is a thorough visual examination of the home and property. Many mortgage companies insist on a home inspection report before agreeing to a mortgage, so a pre-sale inspection enables you to address problems before you even put the house on the market. It also removes any questions about the condition of your home for you and a potential homebuyer, improving the speed, price and likelihood of a sale.

The inspection process usually takes two to three hours, during which time the house is examined from the ground up. It includes observation and, when appropriate, operation of the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, and appliance systems, as well as structural components, such as the roof, foundation, basement, exterior and interior walls, chimney, doors and windows.

Some home sellers elect not to correct every defect found in the inspection report. Instead, they acknowledge the defects to buyers and explain that the asking price has been adjusted to reflect the estimated cost of repairs. Such candor tends to shorten negotiation time, because buyers have fewer objections.

In addition to facilitating the sale of a home, an inspection helps the homeowner comply with full-disclosure real estate laws, governed by state laws. By focusing on the condition of your property, you are less likely to overlook a defect or material fact for which you could later be held liable.

A thorough home inspection covers more than 1,000 items, everything from the foundation to roof and takes two to three hours depending on the size of the property. The report should reflect the condition of about 400 items.

Here’s a glance at how home inspections are supposed to work:

1. Every house should be inspected.
Otherwise, you’re relying on the seller to be honest enough to tell you every thing that’s wrong with the house. 

2. You hire the inspector, not your real estate agent.
You want him to work for you.

3. You can hire your own inspector. 
A real estate company often has a list of home inspectors from which you may choose. This does not mean you have to use one from the list. You can find lists of certified inspectors at the web sites of the two organizations that certify and train home inspectors: The National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).

4. You will sign an agreement with the home inspector that outlines the scope of his work. The report you’ll get about the house’s condition after the inspection is for your eyes only and the inspector can only give it to the seller or real estate agent with your permission. 

5. A thorough inspection of a 2,000-square foot home should take 2 to 3 hours. A good inspector: 

  • walks on the roof
  • goes into the crawl space and attic 
  • removes the furnace and electrical panel covers to see what’s inside 
  • checks all electrical outlets and switches 
  • opens and closes all windows and doors 
  • examines the insides of closets and the undersides of stairs 
  • checks walls, ceilings and floors for defects 
  • checks water pressure and drain function in plumbing fixture 
  • flushes toilets to make sure they work
  • checks chimneys and flues to be sure they work
  • checks the exterior of the home for signs of weather damage, decay and settling
  • knows the soil and flooding problems in the area where you’re buying

6. Once he’s finished with the inspection, the home inspector will go over the report with you, explain the defects he found and point out areas that may need maintenance in the near future.

7. You can ask the seller to correct the defects your inspector finds, or you can ask for money to make the repairs yourself.

TIP: Home inspections are for buyers; appraisals are for lenders. Lenders require appraisals on properties prior to loan approval to ensure that the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property.

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