Buying A Home "As Is". That's What You Are Doing Without A Home Inspection
Are you buying or considering buying a home? If so, you probably hired a Realtor. If so, you did the right thing. Have you found the ideal home and think you may want to buy it? If so, your Realtor, the sellers agent, broker and lender are very happy. But, if you buy a house without a Dallas Home Inspection, you are buying the house "As Is"! Now why would anyone do that?
Yes. I am a Professional Home Inspector. And yes, it is how I make a living. When you hire a home inspector like me, it is my job to compare the real estate you are considering against today's Texas Standards of Practice, local building codes and perfect conditions. No respectable home inspector wants to see someone buy a house that is not right for them.
Pre Owned Homes
By comparing your prospective pre owned home against today's Texas Standards of Practice and local building codes, a home inspection will provide you with a complete education about how well the current and past property owners have maintained the home and kept it up to date with both modern standards and general maintenance. Just to name a few:
Proper location and function of GFCIs- Proper location and function of AFCIs
- Properly elevated water heaters
- Water heater drain pans and TPR valves
- Bathroom mechanical vents that vent to the exterior of the structure
- Post tension foundation cable ends properly protected
- Moisture were it should not be
- Wood destroying insect metal plate at the top of piers
- HVAC condensation drain lines properly installed to drain in a visible location
- Anti-tip devices on free standing oven and ranges
There are literally thousands of possible updates and maintenance items that a home inspector will be aware of and check your prospective property for. A home inspection will provide you with the information you need to know in order to make an informed real estate purchase.
Even if many of the items found "deficient" during a home inspection are considered an "As Built" condition (meaning that was the code or standard at the time the home was constructed), with a home inspection, you will know what items can be improved to bring the home closer to the important and sometimes life saving, standards of today if you decide to make the purchase.
If the house you're interested in is a "fixer upper", the home inspection will reveal as many possible defects as possible and allow a potential buyer to better understand the costs that will be associated with restoring the property to better condition.
If you still think it wise to buy one of life's most expensive and long term investments without a home inspection, you are most likely buying real estate "As Is". It is a fact. People that buy a home "As Is" without a Professional Home Inspection experience more system failures, maintenance expenses and buyers remorse than people who hire a certified, licensed home inspector.
New Home Construction
We hear it all the time! "I am buying a brand new home." "It was just built." "I don't think I need a home inspection". My response is, "Really, why would you do that"? I know that if you have ever bought anything during your lifetime, you have bought something (probably lots of things) that did not meet your expectations, did not work at all or was not well made. Buying real estate this way is NOT recommended by reputable home inspectors or honest Realtors.
I am sure that you would not buy a car without spending time to research the vehicle. I am also sure that you would not buy a car without taking it for a test drive. A home inspection is in many ways both part of your research of the property and your test drive.
A Professional Home Inspector will test drive every component of the home for you with an expert eye and believe me, no home is perfect. Not even a brand new home that was just built. The home inspector you hire should provide you with a complete education about how well a home is built, how the appliances perform and if the construction contractors who built the home meet or exceed today's Texas Standards of Practice.
So, keep in mind that the few hundred dollars you spend on a Professional Home Inspection will provide
you with a valuable education about your prospective property. A home inspection is designed to:
- Identify major problems
- Identify safety concerns
- Identify repair needs
- Identify maintenance issues
- Identify items to monitor
- Identify deferred cost items
Me? I would not buy a car or any other expensive item without some research and a "test drive" of some kind. I certainly would not buy real estate, new or old without a Home Inspection from an experience professional. So why would you?
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Comments
I totally agree. I own a home inpsection co. in lafayette, la. Im also a real estate agent. I will never understand why so many agents don't encourage their buyers to do a home inspection.