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Love the Home Inspection!

Buyer and Sellers should love the Home Inspection. A home inspection benefits all parties involved in the real estate transaction. Home inspections offers a tremendous protection to buyers. By knowing the condition of the home, the buyers feel more comfortable and confident as they  make one of the largest financial investments a family makes. The home inspection helps protect the sellers by disclosing the condition of the home at the time of the inspection and reducing the chance of post-closing hassles. The REALTOR(R) benefits because everyone is informed of the condition of the house and the real estate professional's liability is reduced. The worst question any agent can possibly get is, "Why didn't you tell us about this in the first place?" Clients, buyers and sellers, hate surprises. Clients may not be pleased with the results of an inspection, but you should never be surprised. The home inspection is a smart thing to do.

when is a good time to complete a home inspection? It is a recommended to set up and complete the home inspection  within the first several days of an accepted offer, especially when the offer is contingent upon the results of the home inspection report.

How much does the home inspection cost? Home inspectors price the inspections generally by the square footage size of the home. A range of $250 to $350 is average in our area. Each inspector will provided you the cost prior to the work being performed. The service must be paid for at the time of the inspection and is NOT refundable in the event you decide not to buy the home.

who is a qualified home inspector? The home inspectors in our area should be licensed and on the Mississippi Real Estate Commissions list of approved home inspectors. A list of the Mississippi or Louisiana home inspectors can be found at the following link: Click here

What happens if there are unsatisfactory items listed in the report? One of several options can happen; depending on the terms related to the home inspection report results that are agreed in writing by the buyer and seller in an offer to purchase: 1) the buyer may choose not to purchase the home due to unsatisfactory results in the home inspection report and all the buyer's earnest money will be returned in full and the purchase agreement cancelled, 2) the buyer may ask the seller to make the requested repairs or corrections as in a list of deficiencies provided to the seller by the buyer, which may also give the seller the option not to make the repairs if the cost is not prohibitive to the seller and/or complete the sale, 3) the buyer may choose to proceed with the sale loaded with full understanding of the condition of the property. Many times we use the Home Inspection Addendum as part of the contract to address these issues and established the agreement between the buyer and seller to have a home inspection performed.

Home Inspection Addendum (this form IS a contract addendum)                           

sellers can benefit from a pre-listng inspections. Having a home inspection performed during the prelisting period will provide a seller with valuable property condition information about their own home and it assists the seller in setting a more realistic price and gives the seller the opportunity to review and correct any deficiencies prior to listing the property in order to get the "Top Dollar" for their home. A home inspector will discuss the issues that come up in the inspection and can discuss the costs of possible remedies. If it is safety issues, like a rusted hot water heater o, worn furnace burners, loose railings or stairs on a deck, it probably will be recommended, to the owner, to repair or replace. As as seller, put yourself in the buyer's place and decide what is fair and how better you can address, early, any issues that would impede the success of your sale. We often ignore the obvious when we live with it every day, so another, "eye" can be a help it determining the best approach to selling your home.

what are some examples of items covered in a home inspection? The inspection will take usually about an average of two hours. The utilities must be on. The licensed home inspector will check the mechanicals, the roof, plumbing, electrical panel and outlets, the cooling level of the ac unit, the visible structural elements, and will further make notes on very minute details, such as a missing door knob or missing light fixture covers. Buyers use the report, mainly, to satisfy yourself that there are no real problems that you could not live with and seller take the report in stride. The inspection is a business transaction, is simply to point out issues related to the home and it is not a personal. It is, not generally, necessary to repair everything on an inspection report. Most homeowners are unaware of some of the issues found as a result of a home inspection. Buyer and Sellers should love the Home Inspection.

A list of questions to ask when choosing  a home inspector?

1) What items and systems are included in their scope of services?

2) Do they provide a written report?

3) Do they provide home repair tips?

4) Do they discuss costs of repairs to items found during the inspection?

5) Are your or your company an ASHI member? (American Society of Home Inspectors) www.ashi.org

6) How long have they been in business?

7) Do you carry errors and omissions insurance?

8) Do you go on to the roof, instead of eyeballing is from the driveway?

9) Do you crawl under the home in the accessible attic and crawlspaces?

10)What is the cost of your service?

Click here to get a list of the Mississippi Real Estate Commission's List of approved Home Inspectors.

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The advertisers and publishers are not responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors. All information is provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale or rental.