SO, YOU HAVE A 62-PAGE REPORT, GREAT NOW WHAT!

Nearly every home inspection—even those on new homes—will turn up some issues.

Almost ⅓ of my inspections are on new homes

It is important to pick your battles when it comes to repairs requested from a home inspection. There are only so many repairs most sellers are willing to commit to – especially in a seller’s market and/or during short inventory

Things to let go

• Under $100. Let it go

  • Things under $100, in general, are deferred maintenance unless it is a major safety issue or greatly diminishes the functionality of the Home

• Things on the Sellers Disclosure

  • If the seller disclosed it, it is inappropriate to ask for it to be fixed because the Inspector also found it. The buyer knew about it before the inspection.

• Things the Buyer and Agent noticed

  • If you know about it it should be taken into account on the original offer

• Detached Structures

  • Sheds, Detached Garages and so on. They are not normally included in a home inspection unless stated

• Cosmetic Issues

  • A deck needs staining, touching up paint, so on.

• Crack In Basement Floor

  • The cracks are purely aesthetic. In fact, if you are purchasing a home that doesn’t have a few cracks you’re lucky.

DEAL BREAKERS

• Major foundation issues

  • Foundation issues are a huge undertaking to repair and it tops the list of home-buying deal breakers

• Radon Tests High (and no mitigation)

  • Radon needs to be in the guidelines set forth by the EPA. Eliminating this risk is easy through professional mitigation

• Asbestos

  • Unless disturbed, asbestos isn’t usually problematic.  Asbestos insulation around pipes that is friable [crumbling] is a serious health issue and should be remediated prior to closing.

• Aluminum wiring

  • If your potential home has it, it could mean big trouble.

• Buried oil tanks

  • Before electrical heating came along, some homes had oil tanks buried in the backyard to funnel fuel to the house during winter.

• Polybutylene plumbing pipes

  • These pipes had their heyday as a cheap alternative to copper in the ’80s, but it didn’t last long.

• Upgrades without permits

  • It can be a very bad thing if the homeowner in charge had a DIY streak and a problem with authority.

• Major Structural Issues

  • A leaking roof or substantial building violations.