While the home inspection may not be the most glamourous aspect of the home buying process, it can be THE most critical! The only more important thing than finding a home you love, is understanding the condition it is in, which in return directly impacts your investment and enjoyment of the home.

The infographic below from the California Association of Realtors® reminded us of an article series we wrote in a VERY hot market, when buyers were so eager to get their offers in, that they were not always certain what they were truly buying. While some level of desperation has diminished, the importance of inspection types and their impact is critical in any market.

If you have ever wondered how the results of an inspection differ from what is being disclosed, or how to evaluate the quality of the inspections you are reviewing, check out our original blog series on the topic here in Part I and Part II.

In our experience, the additional inspections we see the need for most are:

| Pools: A home with a pool is highly desirable to many buyers – until they find out that the repairs of the pool cost double what it would be to simply fill it in! There are very few cases where we do not recommend a pool inspection. Pump/heater/filter issues, plumbing leaks, surface issues and tile discoloration are just the beginning. The longer a pool has not been maintained for, the higher the cost of needed repairs tends to be.

| Foundation: Home inspections are great at telling you if a home’s foundation is slab or raised and should note any visible cracks. BUT only a foundation engineer can determine if a home is sliding or has a faulty foundation. If other homes in the area have had foundation issues or if you see several door frames with difficulty closing, these could be a few signs that the home’s structure needs closer review. (There are many other ‘foundation flags’ so to speak… we advise our buyers when we see any of them! )

| Chimney Checks: While a cracked chimney is not often a deal breaker, it is a common issue that needs review and attention. Checking the cap condition, examining for crumbling bricks and verifying a sound chimney liner are key elements with regards to your family’s safety and home fire prevention, as well as important in what damage may result when there is an earthquake.

We could literally go on and on about how to assess a home’s condition and what inspections to consider… but our message here is not meant to bore you. Our best advice is to choose an agent team who is determined to do the dirty work for you and guide you in assessing the home’s condition as they would when buying a home for their own family. That is our steadfast commitment and true pride in working with our buyers. We’d be honored to do the same for you!

All our best,

Mark & Jason