If you’re buying a property in Pennsylvania, you will need a home inspection. The document will offer a chance for you to find out what’s wrong with the house. Knowing this information can lead to negotiations on the price or getting the seller to make repairs. If you’re the seller, you may want to know where the house needs work and how defects affect the value.
What to expect in a report
Knowing as much as possible about a property before purchasing it can help prevent real estate litigation and disputes. Here is a list of the typical topics you’ll find in a home inspection report:
- Central air
- Heating system
- Electrical system
- Interior plumbing, potentially including an extensive inspection using a camera
- Roof
- Walls
- Attic and visible insulation
- Floors
- Ceilings
- Doors
- Windows
- Basement
- Foundation
- Structural elements
Some inspections require a specialist. Professionals will look for:
- Radon
- Termite infestations
- Asbestos
- Mold
- Water damage
- Lead
What to do with the report
No home inspection comes back perfect. Some problems may be visible; others are severe but hidden, or they might be small and easily tended to. Reports can list dozens of issues.
Pay less attention to the length of the list and instead look for serious problems. Lead, a broken furnace, issues with the physical structure and other major problems can affect how much the property is worth for buyers and sellers.
As these problems can affect closing costs, it’s important to discuss the serious issues right away. Sellers can lower prices, or buyers can take on a fixer-upper. Sellers can also manage the issues and keep the market value up.
If you do work, you may need a new inspection. Some issues can be left for the buyer to consider. For example, an old, working HVAC system doesn’t mean that the seller is obligated to replace it.
Inspections and follow-ups need careful management. When they are not, they could lead to real estate litigation and disputes. Including necessary inspections in a real estate transaction helps things go more smoothly for everyone.
