The home is a very special place to many people. Some use a home as an investment while others use it to settle down into a specific region. If you happen to skip a home inspection in order to guarantee that you get the purchase of a specific home, as has happened all too frequently in our region lately, you are taking a huge risk.
Can I get a home inspection after the purchase? Yes, you can hire a home inspection team to inspect the home after it has been purchased. This is a great idea to ensure that you are aware of any damages or repairs that need fixing.
Home inspections are NOT required to buy a home! However, it is highly recommended the buyers pay for one as you are spending a lot of money on your home and want to make sure everything is working.
What Happens If You Skip A Home Inspection
Skipping or waiving a home inspection does not directly affect you as the buyer and whether you can purchase the home. However, here are some items that you will miss out on.
- Documentation of the condition of the home before moving in
- Ensures that there are no safety or health concerns
- Loss of potential fixes (or potential financial credits) by the home seller
- Loss of the option of learning about your home‘s systems
By skipping a home inspection you are purchasing a home without any knowledge of its condition. Also, you miss out on knowing what potential pitfalls can arise that will cost you a lot of money after you purchase the home.
You could be risking a lot of money if you skip or waive your home inspection for the sake of guaranteeing a home purchase. Getting a home inspection even after the purchase of the home has been made is still highly recommended. This can be vital in protecting your health and safety while living in the home.
Biggest Misses Without An Inspection
The biggest concern aside from losing money on repairs that could have been handled by the seller should be your health. Home inspections can determine:
- A damaged foundation and structural issues.
- There may be a threat of carbon monoxide poisoning via broken appliances, damaged pipes, or a leaky furnace.
- Missing egress openings or window openings to exit a home in case of emergency.
From a health safety perspective, these three areas are necessary to ensure that the home is safe to move into. Often when we rush to purchase a home we are doing it out of the desire for a specific location. Judgment can be clouded when considering location over safety.
How Much Does It Cost
Hiring a home inspection company to come out after you have purchased a home is an important task. If you didn’t have a home inspection prior to the purchase and you purchased the home sight unseen so to speak, then it is vital for you to commit to a home inspection.
The cost range is $420 to over $750 depending on the size of the home and the region of the country that you live in. Even if the inspection is not favorable to you, at least you will have the information on what needs to be repaired now that you own the home.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Now that you have chosen to skip the home inspection process. It is a great idea to read up on what you missed out on. Knowing how to negotiate after a home inspection is key to the buying process. Learning this now can protect you during your next home buying process.
While you are at it, go ahead and have other inspections done on the home. If you have a home with a well it is a great idea to have the well inspected and the water tested. You might notice air in your water pipes and having the well inspected can help you troubleshoot any damages to the well or the well equipment.
Getting a roof inspection done is another necessary step. This is a major portion of a home inspection that you would have missed out on, by skipping the inspection process while buying a home. Ensuring that there are no structural damages to your home purchase is important to your safety. Getting a roof inspection done after you close on the purchase of the home is also a great idea. Check out this roof inspection checklist.
When Do I Call A Professional
Calling a professional home inspection company is highly recommended before, during, or after the purchase of a home. In some cases, buyers can rush the process just to ensure that the purchase is theirs. However, this is always a risky endeavor. Not knowing ahead of the purchase any potential flaws of the home is not the best approach.
Fear not, you can always conduct a home inspection after you have purchased the home to ensure that you are aware of the good and bad scenarios within and around the home.
Conclusion
When you have purchased a home without getting an inspection there can be some lingering questions. Most of the time it isn’t a big deal but getting a home inspection after the home is purchased is a great idea. It is important to ensure that you are aware of any potential repairs, whether they are expensive or not. With this in mind, maintenance and home inspections should be done regularly. We will take a look at your home after you have purchased it with an impartial home inspection in the Twin State areas of VT, and NH.
