Home Inspections

Many people will decide not to have a home inspection performed on the home or property they are buying. They may do this because they want to save the cost of the inspection, $320.00 national average a few years ago. What these people are learning too late is that the home inspection would have saved them money if they had it done before they bought the home.

For many first time home buyers, the purchase of a home is a big expensive commitment. The buyers may be stretched a bit on the available money at the time of purchase. One thing that sometimes gets skipped to save a few bucks is the home inspection. This is an error. The home inspection is part of doing due diligence to protect oneself from making a mistake or buying a home that is not in the condition that the buyer thought it was in.

During the home inspection the home is looked at by an inspector who will provide information as to the condition of the home and the various systems of the home. One area that can cost the new home owners thousands of dollars if not inspected is the heating and cooling system. Furnaces and air conditioners have an expected lifespan and it is important to learn form the home inspector about the age of the systems and if they are functioning as they should be. If the heating or cooling system is not operating as it should then the cost to repair or even the cost to replace the system can be negotiated.

As I do my Columbus Ohio home inspections I often come across older heating and cooling systems that are not operating as they should. Air conditioners should be able to drop the temperature from 14 to 20 below the return air temperature. As the air conditions age they may not function as well. This can be negotiated with the sellers. Also even if the heating and cooling system is operating as designed it may be getting old. A system that is at or beyond the life expectancy of it can still be a negotiating point.

With bank owned properties there may be no negotiating at all. It is still valuable to have the inspection performed because with the inspection information the buyer is better able to determine what the costs to make the home livable will be. Imagine the disappointment to buy a home only to find out late October that the furnace is old, not functioning, and will cost several thousands to replace. It is better to know upfront so as to make an informed buying decision.