Do you really need an inspection?

So, you found a house you like and you're ready to put an offer in. You sit down with your Realtor and discuss how the contract is going to read and you get to the part about inspections. You might be wondering, "Do I really need an inspection?", as a lot of people do. The answer is a resounding, "Yes!!" Inspections are a great way of protecting yourself in case there's something seriously wrong with your dream home.

Getting an inspection is so important that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has a form that you should have and read before making your offer. You can find the form at this link: http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/forms/files/92564-cn.pdf. I would recommend that you take a look at it to understand why you should get a home inspection.

Generally, you will pay for your home inspection on the day it's done. The prices range from state to state, but in Wilkes-Barre, PA you can expect to pay from $350 to $500 for this service depending on the size of the property you are buying. There are 6 areas that can be inspected and, depending on whether your new home is on public water and sewer, you can have all 6 inspections done at the same time. These inspections are:

Structural: This inspection is for the general structure of the property, including the mechanical and electrical systems. This inspection should give you the remaining useful life of things such as the roof, electrical system, mechanical systems and the structure.

Pests: This inspection is for all of the various pests that can inhabit a home, but is especially useful for determining the existence of wood boring insects like termites. It's generally the responsibility of the seller to treat for these insects if evidence is found of their existence in the property. Most banks will require treatment before committing to a loan for a property that has evidence of wood boring insects.

Radon: Radon gas is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the US. That's reason enough to have your new home tested for this gas. Check out http://activerain.com/blogsview/165487/Testing-the-Radon-gas, a recent blog post about this gas that you might find useful.

Water: If the water source is public, this inspection is necessary. This inspection is important for areas outside of the reach of public water. This inspection will show any signs of issues with the well water and system and suggest methods of correcting those issues.

Sewer: Once again, if the property is connected to the public sewer system this inspection isn't necessary. If the property is on a septic system, this inspection will show any issues with that system and suggest methods of correcting those issues.

Lead Based Paint: In our area, a home buyer must receive a pamphlet about the dangers of lead based paint before making their offer to purchase a property. You can see this pamphlet at http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/outreach/pyf_eng.pdf. Lead based paint was used on most homes built before 1978, which is just about every house in the Wilkes-Barre area. It's important to read the pamphlet on the danger of lead based paint and assess whether you need this inspection.

Once the inspections are performed, you should receive a report detailing the issues found and the recommendations to correct them. Armed with this information, you and your Realtor should be able to decide whether you still want to purchase the property and what, if any, corrections you want to have made before you get to closing. Some buyers decide to make their own corrections and ask the seller to give them a credit for the corrections made (this must be agreed upon by the lending institution first). Either way, a qualified Realtor will be key to making the proper Reply to Inspections.

A key thing to remember in the state of Pennsylvania is that a buyer has 15 days from the execution date of the contract to have the inspections completed and any issues resolved or they are forced to accept the property "as is". This makes it even more important to have a qualified Realtor on your side!!

If you are interested in buying or selling a home in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area, give me a call or check out my website at http://www.wilkesbarrehomesales.com/ and let me help make the process easier for you. I turn houses into homes!!

Until next time...