What
Really Matters
Buying a
home? The process can be
stressful. A home
inspection is supposed to
give you peace of mind, but
often has the opposite
effect. You will be asked
to absorb a lot of
information in a short
time. This often includes a
written report, checklist,
photographs, environmental
reports and what the
inspector himself says
during the inspection. All
this combined with the
seller's disclosure and what
you notice yourself makes
the experience even more
overwhelming. What should
you do?
Relax.
Most of your inspection will be
maintenance recommendations,
life expectancies and minor
imperfections. These are nice to
know about. However, the issues
that really matter will fall
into four categories:
- Major
defects. An example of this
would be a structural
failure.
-
Things that lead to major
defects. A small
roof-flashing leak, for
example.
-
Things that may hinder your
ability to finance, legally
occupy or insure the home.
-
Safety hazards, such as an
exposed, live buss bar at
the electric panel.
Anything in
these categories should be
addressed. Often a serious
problem can be corrected
inexpensively to protect both
life and property (especially in
categories 2 and 4).
Most
sellers are honest and are often
surprised to learn of defects
uncovered during an inspection.
Realize that sellers are under
no obligation to repair
everything mentioned in the
report. No home is perfect.
Keep things in perspective. Do
not kill your deal over things
that do not matter. It is
inappropriate to demand that a
seller address deferred
maintenance, conditions already
listed on the seller's
disclosure or nit-picky items.
cell
850-319-3888 
