What Happens After a Home Inspection?

Congratulations on beginning the journey to homeownership. While there are some hurdles you’ll likely need to overcome throughout the process, the end result, a home you can proudly call your own for years to come, makes the process well worth it.

Because buying a home includes the exchange of such a large sum of money, there are reasons you’ll want to dot your I’s and cross your T’s before you commit.

negotiations

Is this an area you can imagine living in for the long haul? Is the commute to work do-able? Are there good schools for your kids? All of these factors play an important role in the final decision to sign on the dotted line and mortgage a home.

There is another critical step that could potentially outweigh all of these factors though, and that’s the home inspection.

A professional trained in surveying, inspecting and putting together a report on the condition of the structural and other elements important to the home will come out and spend a few hours thoroughly going through the property with you.

The results could keep potential homeowners from making a costly mistake or provide a bargaining chip from which to negotiate a lower price or repairs done in advance of the purchase.

Getting to that last part though is where things change on a case by case basis.

Depending on the sellers and their asking price, if there is room to negotiate, and how much a buyer is willing to repair on their own, can all change the outcome of after a home inspection.

After the inspector has had time to compile the report, images, and recommendations for you, it’s time to go through everything again, make a list of those recommendations you’d like the seller to either credit to you for or request they be fixed prior to signing.

In some cases the sellers may be more than willing to move forward with things like fixing leaky pipes or damaged roof shingles. In other cases, they may stand firm in their offer to not want to budge and assist with recommended changes.

This is where homeowners walk a thin line between not wanting buyer’s remorse and knowing when to walk away. It can become a really hard choice that only the buyers can make in confidence. Take the needed time to consider the big picture before you make the leap and rest assured knowing that by having a quality home inspection done you’re making informed decisions and another step closer to obtaining your dream home.