SOUND OFF

Kellie Shorthose

A: Buying a home may be the largest single investment you make in a lifetime; you should want to know as much about the property as possible before you get your keys. Whether you are buying new construction or a resale home, spending a relatively small amount of money on a professional home inspection to learn all you can before you close is money well spent.

An inspection report generally provides a detailed list of deficiencies of the property, whether electrical, mechanical or otherwise, defining if the property is performing on various levels as originally intended. The type of loan the buyer will be obtaining will determine the specific type of inspection and inspector the buyer might need; for example, with an FHA-insured loan, an FHA-approved inspector must be used for such inspections, specifically for wood-destroying insects.

If any of the items discovered during an inspection are too costly for the buyer to consider or if there are too many items needing to be addressed, the inspection report can also serve as a form of support toward generating a productive discussion toward a positive resolution between the parties.

Knowing as much as you can about one of the largest investments you make, before you make it, is simply priceless.

— Kellie Shorthose, United Real Estate, 713-304-8335