Buying a home is a complex process. Beyond being what is likely the larger purchase of your life, you also have a long list of to dos, so it may be tempting to skip attending your home inspection since the home inspector is the one doing the work. But there are good reasons to be present for a home inspection. We’ll tell you why in today’s blog.
Yes, You’ll Get a Report, But…
So as we all know (at least if you follow our blog), every home inspection comes with a home inspection report. But, let’s face it, we don’t all learn that way. Some people learn best by seeing and hearing while reading might be just for others.
However, even if you’re someone who learns best through reading, a certified home inspector distills a lot of complex information into a relatively concise report. So if you’re present for a home inspection, you can learn a lot more.
Get Your Questions Answered
When you’re present for a home inspection, you get to spend a couple hours with someone who truly understands your home. That’s the perfect time to get your home questions answered.
Stuff You Worry About
While you’re walking through the home, you can point out items where you had questions or worries. Chances are, even if you’re not there, a good home inspector will see them, but if the inspector doesn’t see an issue, it may not show up in the report, and you’ll be left wondering.
If you’re there with the inspector, you can point out every detail that has caused you consternation.
Follow Ups
If you’re present for a home inspection, it also give you the opportunity to ask follow-up questions. We can tell you where something is wrong in writing, but seeing is believing, and seeing may also be what you need to understand how to address an issue.
For example, imagine that we go to your basement on a dry day and see no mold, but we tell you that when the weather changes, you should look for signs of moisture. You may ask us what those signs are, and where you’re most likely to see them.
Likewise, it’s one thing to check your filters for you, but if you’ve never owned a home that uses air filters, just seeing a home inspector do it the first time may be what you need to learn how to do it yourself.
There’s a lot that home owners take for granted that first time home owners may not yet have learned.
It’s Crazy What You Notice When You’re Present for a Home Inspection
You may have walked through the house a dozen times in a dozen different lighting and weather conditions, but there’s something about having a certified home inspector there that will trip your own powers of observations.
A funny thing happens when you walk through your home with a dligient home inspector. As the inspector carefully checks every nook and cranny, you find your own eyes drifting toward. “Hey, I never saw that stain, did you?”
While we’re likely to spot any structural or functional problem and note them in a report, are detail-oriented approach will rub off on you, and you may notice some aesthetic issues issues you never saw before. They may give you pause or give you a better hand at the negotiating table
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
A wise person (probably several) once said, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
That’s the value of experts. And at Detail View Home Inpsections, our job is to ensure your dream home doesn’t become a nightmare. By being present during your home inspection, not only can you learn more about your home, but you can allay all the worries that would eventually amount to nothing.
So unless you have an extremely compelling reason, you should be present for a home inspection.
