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Wednesday, October 11, 2000 Avoid the home inspection blues Home buying is a lesson in delayed gratification. But eventually, you get the payoff you've been waiting for... moving day. It's hard to believe you're really there. Just remember that sooner or later, some flaw in your dream home will bring you back to earth. It's inevitable. "New homeowners should keep minor problems in perspective; every home has them," says Richard Roll, president of American Homeowners Association (AHA). "The way to avoid larger problems is to pick a qualified home inspector and really understand the inspection report, before you go to closing." Maybe a kitchen circuit breaker trips every time you run an appliance, or a balky door won't close. Why did you miss the problem? Home inspections are such a routine part of the closing process these days it's easy to assume that any inspector will do. Don't take your home inspector's qualifications for granted. The home inspector is your last line of defense between you and problems that could bust your budget to repair. Dig a little deeper rather than accept a referral with no questions asked from your real estate agent. How long have they been in business? Ask for customer references and call them. Call the Better Business Bureau just to make sure there are no complaints. Before you hire someone, ask to see a sample copy of the inspection report. Look for a narrative description that fully explains each problem a checkoff box with Good, Fair and Poor isn't good enough! Every inspection should cover all the major systems at a minimum, including plumbing, heating, and cooling; the structural conditions, including the roof; and the electrical system. When you receive the report, make sure you actually read it. If you don't understand something, get your inspector to explain it. Don't let unanswered questions come back to haunt you on moving day. What if a problem rears its ugly head before closing? Your response really depends on the nature and severity of the problem. For example, do you want to engender bad feelings with your seller by complaining about a torn screen in a window? What if you discover something after moving in that the seller failed to disclose and your inspector missed? Good inspectors make mistakes. And good inspectors encourage customers to call them whenever problems surface. That's why every inspector should have errors and omissions insurance. For more information on any aspect of buying a home, go to http://www.realhome.com, the web site for American Homeowners Association.
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