Inspections are an important part of the transaction when buying and selling a home. It is a very common thing for buyers and becoming more common for the sellers. I thought it would be worth pointing out a few of the positives for both sides, no matter what side of the fence you are standing on.
Every state and city is different with their laws and regulations so you will want to check to see what is required in your city and state. In Minnesota there are several cities in the metro area that require a truth in housing, time of sale or point of sale inspection. Currently the cities are Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Maplewood, Minneapolis, New Hope, Osseo, Richfield, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, South St. Paul and Robbinsdale. That is where the city requires a seller to have an independent inspector out to do a home inspection either before the home goes on the market or before it is sold. These types of inspections are different from a home inspection in that the inspectors are looking for code violations and city requirements.
The most common home inspection that most people think of is the one that a buyer has before they purchase a home. They hire an independent inspector to evaluate the home not only to find potential problems but also as a guide to how the home works. That includes general maintenance, where the gas shut off is located and other information. I have always maintained as a buyer that you should hire a professional to inspect a home you are thinking of buying. I consider it cheap insurance and it always help to have another opinion. The tricky part is choosing a good inspector. I am not sure about other states but in the state of Minnesota you do not have to be licensed to be a home inspector. Anyone can print cards and become one. It is very important that you interview several inspectors and choose one that has a background in the trades. They understand electric and plumbing issues, can test a furnace and so on.
Having an inspection done for a buyer is obvious to most people, I want to challenge a seller to consider having one done before they list their home for sale. You as a seller can have the very best of intentions and do a full disclosure on your home but may not know of an issue. If you have an inspection ahead of time you can benefit in a couple of ways. First it keeps you in control of the transaction by knowing things ahead of time. If there is something that needs to be repaired you can have the work done right but not at the mercy of a buyer. If the inspection comes back clean with no issues that is a wonderful sales tool to promote your listing. The buyers can always have their own independent inspection done but what if they hire someone who is not qualified? Now your inspector is on your side and can discuss it with the buyers inspector. You always want to disclose everything you know about your home and do your very best to have it in it's best working order.
One thing I have learned over the years is if there is any type of problem it is always best to meet that head on and find a solution. You don't want to be put in a position where a small issue gets blown way out of proportion. To learn more about what a home inspector does and their standards of practice are visit www.ashi.org. It is one of several organizations that home inspectors can belong to. They offer continuing education and many other benefits to the inspectors.
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