Why Properties Should Be Inspected
Suppose that you spend $250 to have the home you want to buy
completely inspected by a qualified inspector, and you find out that
nothing is wrong with it. Now you can sleep soundly, knowing that your
home doesn't need any corrective work. If you skip the inspection to
save $250 and later discover that your house needs $25,000 worth of
repairs, you'll end up spending $100 in repairs for every dollar that
you "saved."
Here are reasons why every property should be inspected prior to
purchase:
Used houses: You're most likely to order inspections if your
"new" home is someone else's used house. Obviously, the older
the house, the greater the likelihood that you'll find defects in its
mechanical and structural systems.
New houses: Even if you're buying a newly constructed, never-
been-lived-in home, having it thoroughly inspected is wise. Just
because the building is new doesn't guarantee that it was built
properly. Believe it or not, brand-new houses often have construction
flaws, sometimes major. Some home builders are not competent, or they
cut corners to save some money and boost their profits.
Condominiums: You need an inspection before buying a
condominium. Don't forget that when you buy a condo, you're also buying
into the entire building in which your condo is located. As a co-owner
of the building, you'll be assessed your proportional share of the cost
for corrective work required in common areas, such as the roof, heating
system, or foundation.
Townhouses, cooperative apartments, and all other forms of
co-ownership property: See the preceding paragraph about
condominiums. Shared ownership doesn't get you off the hook. You still
need property inspections.
All properties should be inspected. Inspect detached
residences, attached residences, single-family dwellings, multifamily
dwellings, condos, co-ops, townhouses, and anything else that has a
foundation and a roof. If you're spending big bucks for a property,
protect your investment by having it inspected.
Back to Buyer's Guide
| 
