You just received word your offer was accepted on your dream home. But, once the celebrations are over, what do you know?
High Priority
You typically will have a limited time frame to schedule your Atlanta home inspection, so get this taken care of quickly. You will want to know any significant problems with the home before moving forward. Most, if not all, home inspectors will request you, the buyer, be present during the inspection. It is optional for the seller to be there, but the inspection is a time to visualise the home and ask any questions as a buyer. So, what happens if you can’t be present during your home inspection? What if you think, “Is there a Home inspector near me who can be helpful?”
Quick Overview
In a perfect world, you would be able to leave work, your children, or the day’s plans to do a 3-4 hour home inspection; In reality, this may not always be the case. To prepare for an inspection you will not be attending, your first course of action should be to try and find someone you trust to attend instead. A relative like a sibling or a parent who will look out for your best interests during your Georgia home inspection is your safest bet. If you can find someone, verbally go over any areas you are concerned about and want to be addressed.
Let’s Dive Into It
Your offer has been accepted, and you have signed a purchase agreement for your beautiful new home! The next step is to order a home inspection. This is a stressful part of the home buying process and should be completed within 10-14 days. Now you have less than two weeks to find time to work for you, your agent, and the seller. Not to mention children, pets, and work. Our great clients ask for a home inspection to sign a contract every day. We mainly ask one question: “Do I have to be there?”
In a nutshell, no, you don’t have to attend the search for your home personally. As long as they have access to the house, inspectors can do whatever they need to do the inspection themselves.
Who Should Attend a Home Inspection?
Recently there have been updates to safety requirements regarding home inspections and how many people can be inside the home at one time due to COVID. This guide deals with who should be present for a home inspection outside of pandemic safety guidelines. If you want to know who should attend an inspection, read on, and if you have questions, contact your realtor.
Should the Buyer be at the Inspection?
Should the buyer be at the inspection? In a nutshell, home buyers are always encouraged to attend a home inspection because they need to know as much as possible about the home, and may have several questions to ask. However, it isn’t mandatory. If you can’t get time off work, don’t worry. There will be an entire report with pictures for you to review.
Family Members
It’s not unusual for moms, dads, or even friends to be present during a home inspection, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best idea. While it is nice to have their support and opinions, it can distract the home inspector. Imagine having lots of different voices talking all at the same time while you’re trying to do your job? The home inspector needs uninterrupted time to be able to complete the job on time.
Contractors
As a home buyer, you may already have a list of changes you want to be done to your new home. Are you thinking of ripping out the carpet and putting in hardwoods? That’s fine, but having contractors in the house during a home inspection only creates more confusion. Plus, sometimes contractors like to “talk shop” with the inspector, which is just an additional distraction. It’s best to schedule a separate time for contractors to enter the house.
What to do?
So, what should you do if you can not attend the home inspection?
1. If you can attend the very end of the home inspection.
This can be more convenient than witnessing the test from the beginning. The test usually lasts one and a half to two hours. For example, if the test is scheduled for 9 am, but this is a bad time for you, you should arrive between 10:30 am, and 11:00 am. When you are nearing the end, you still have the opportunity to ask your home inspector your question, and the inspector can personally show you where the potential safety hazards are. You can also point out that it may be useful, although it is not usually included in the test. If you already know that you only want to attend at the end of the exam, please let us know at the time of booking. The inspector recognizes that the schedule may be busy and will depart as soon as the inspection is complete if no one is present.
2. Read the inspection report
Just don’t skim! This should always be done, whether you are or not. The inspection report can be short or long, depending on the house’s condition and the inspector’s spelling. Images help inspect the inspector’s findings as completely as possible and help better understand the meaning of the (sometimes confusing) inspection report. It may take time, but it is worth knowing as much as possible about the property before delving into future investment potential.
3. Call/Email the inspector
Home inspectors are willing to share their expertise by answering your questions personally. If you don’t know the ending and want to talk to the inspector, call the office. Then, ask for the inspector’s phone number. Even if you are busy with inspections on weekdays, they promise to discuss inspection reports and concerns. You can also email the inspector, especially if you are self-employed. Inspectors are retrained annually on the latest industry technologies and topics and are experts in what they do. If you have questions about your home and inspection report, they are your contact information. Inspectors understand that busy schedules and time constraints on the emergency period of the examination can stress an already difficult process. Consider attending the last 15 minutes of the test or simply contacting the inspector. You can get a lot of insight into the results as if you were there for two hours.
Does the Seller Need to Attend the Home Inspection?
Does the seller need to attend the inspection? The answer is no. Home sellers are emotionally involved in the house and may take any issues that arise personally. Therefore, it’s always best if the home seller and their realtor are not present during a home inspection. However, there are many things home sellers can do to make the home inspection go more smoothly, like doing regular seasonal maintenance.
The Home Inspector is Not a Babysitter
It is funny how the home inspection has changed from fact finding, to negotiation tool, and now it is everything all rolled into one. During the beginning years of the home inspection industry, the Realtor was present during the entire inspection. The Realtor was the only one with access to the keys or the home and they were also the liaison between the buyers and the sellers. Now everything has changed.
A home inspector typically has a set routine and road map on how they migrate through a home. Some home inspectors like to be left alone, while others provide their clients with a moving dialog. Regardless of what the inspector’s style is, the inspector is just that, the home inspector. They could be working for your Atlanta home inspection. It is a good idea to remember this and not expect them to fill the fridge with water for you or any similar tasks, which fall outside of a home inspector’s jurisdiction.
Schedule Your Home Inspection Today
The only people that should attend an inspection are those individuals that will be on the mortgage and their realtor because they are the ones that need to make decisions. The inspection report can be distributed to as many friends and family as they like, so there is no need to have anyone else present during the inspection. You can schedule your inspection or pre-listing inspection online or give us a call.