Hi there, Happy Homebuyer! You may be feeling confused or a tad anxious about this whole home inspection thing, so we wanted to share our best advice on navigating the process. It may seem daunting at first, but with a little guidance, hopefully you’ll be feeling much more at ease. Let’s go!
Following these 10 tips is a video on how to navigate your inspection dashboard and the inspection report.
First things first. Let’s take a brief moment to define a home inspection.
A home inspection is a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a residential property. It’s the inspector’s job to describe the condition of the home in its present state. We do not guarantee or offer warranties of future condition, efficiency, or the life of any element of the property.
10 Tips For Navigating The Home Inspection and TRR Processes Like a Pro!
TIP #1: Attend the inspection.
We strongly encourage you to attend the home inspection because it’s a great opportunity to ask a lot of questions and learn a ton about your potential future home. It’s best to attend the inspection towards the end of the scheduled time to ensure the inspector can give the proper focus to the property with minimal distractions. Once you arrive on scene for your personal walk-through, you have the inspector’s undivided attention! You might also hear this walk-through be called a presentation of defects. Yikes, that sounds like we will be delivering all bad news. We take this very seriously, our intention is not to scare you, but rather to empower you to make the best decision when it comes to your investment! Our number one job is to educate you about the property!
TIP #2: Ask, ask, ask all the questions during your home inspection!
Have you heard the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know?” Well, it’s true! It’s always best to ask more questions than not enough. There’s no such thing as a dumb question, especially when you’re learning. The home inspection process is a learning curve for the majority of first time homebuyers, so show yourself some grace. A home is a big investment and we are here to empower you to make the best decision on your home purchase. One cool thing about our reports is that they are infused with education! Not only do we want to empower you to make decisions with inspection information we deliver, we also want to deliver content that empowers you to be a better homeowner!
TIP #3: Make your payment as soon as possible.
Pre-pay for the inspection so when the report is finished, you can view it right away. The report remains locked until full payment is received via your client portal. As soon as you receive the notification text that the report is complete, be sure to view it as soon as possible. If you have questions or concerns, our inspector will want to address those right away. You will never inconvenience us by calling or emailing to ask further clarifying questions. Client care is our top priority! Also, as our service to you, our reports are delivered by 12:00 p.m. the following business day.
TIP #4: Collaborate with and trust your realtor.
You chose your realtor because you believe he/she is a pro at the job. You’re right! So, be sure to listen to the advice of your realtor when and if there are negotiations between you and the seller for treatments, repairs, and/or replacements (TRR). Typically, you and your realtor will evaluate the defects identified by your inspector and decide the corrective actions you want to request from the selling party. Be mindful that this step in the purchase process isn’t always a viable option, so this is where it’s a good idea to lean on the professional in your corner.
TIP #5: Collaborate with and trust your inspector.
Again, we’ve done thousands of inspections at this point, so if you’d like some extra guidance through TRR, we’re here to help you and your realtor! Typically, the inspection period is 10 days from the start of the "reference (or agreement) date." While you should be aware that you are in a time-sensitive negotiation period, our first piece of advice is to remember to stay calm and rational, not allowing others to rush or pressure your decision making. After all, this is where you decide which “problems” you want to inherit, and don’t forget, all houses have problems.
TIP #6: You can have a say in who performs the TRR work.
Hire qualified individuals. We recommend you seek out qualified and licensed professionals to perform any TRR work required. Request for the documentation and invoices for who will be doing the repairs. Remember, this is your future home. Be present and get involved! You might receive some pushback, but in the end, you’ll be glad that you know who did the work after you move in.
TIP #7: You are the boss!
We are all working for you, with the exception of the seller and his/her realtor! It’s your investment, it’s your purchase. Even more, the inspection report is your personal property, so you get to decide who gains access to the information, including the seller and seller agent. If you do not want the selling party to have access, then speak up and let everyone know. We will only give access to you and your realtor, but you might need to communicate your desires to your realtor.
TIP #8: Dispel the perfection myth.
There is no such thing as the perfect home. There is, however, the right home, at the right time, for the right buyer! If you receive an inspection report replete with defects, remain positive. Many defects have simple and affordable solutions, and if the contract warrants it, you might be able to negotiate a remedy with the seller. Until the inspection is completed you are working with limited knowledge about how “healthy” the property is. Try not to make yourself feel pressured to move forward if the inspection process has brought to light problems that you do not want to inherit. Stay objective and be empowered to make the right choice for you.
TIP #9: Cash in on our One-Year Home Inspection Promise.
We promise to be available to you because at some point in the first year of home ownership, you’ll have a question and we’ll be here to help! Home ownership doesn’t need to be overwhelming, think of us as your community of home experts with the best referral list in town. If we don’t have the answer right away, we can get it from those industry experts that we lean on when we’re learning.
TIP #10: Maximize your personal client portal.
You’ll always have access to your inspection portal! The portal is our way of individualizing and organizing your service within a single reference point. Everything you need for the inspection, from start to finish, is housed all in one convenient location, including contracts, payment, invoices, contact information, and of course, the inspection report.
