Members dap99 Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 Just put an offer on a house that was accepted :eek:. Going for the inspections at the end of the week. Total noob at this homeowner thing. What questions should I be asking as I walk around w/ the inspectors? Thanks:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 "would you live here?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flying_Milkman Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 "would you live here?" Why wouldn't you live here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dap99 Posted May 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 "would you live here?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amp_surgeon Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 You don't have to ask them anything. They know what they're doing, and they know what to look for. They're working for you, so they're not going to try to hide anything. When they're finished, they'll go over anything they find with you. If you don't completely understand anything they found, then that's the time to ask questions. The biggest thing you have to worry about is if they find something that your lender considers "category 1", which means it must be fixed or they won't write a loan on your new house, and if the present owner refuses to fix it. That's a real possibility in the current market. Sellers are already slashing prices in order to get their homes sold, and many aren't willing to fork out any additional cash for repairs. If it comes to that, then you're left with the choice of paying for the repairs out of your own pocket, or finding another house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 try all the water pipes and check if they leak and if the water runs off again, check if the windows close well.look at everything which looks broken and ask about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dap99 Posted May 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 Thanks guys, we already have some decent concessions that were written into our original offer, but there's just so much to consider. amp surgeon, I agree that the inspectors know what they're doing, I just figured that maybe there have been certain experiences of people wishing they'd asked somethign or maybe the inspector even failed to mention something. I'd like to believe that these people are competent at their jobs, but you just never know these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Iamtehcure Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 +1 on what amp said. Follow the guy around and ask about anything that looks off to you. Also, if the house has a septic system pay the extra cash to have that inspected. I bought a 7yr old house in July, went against the advise of our realtor and had the septic inspected - it failed. $250 extra on the inspection saved me $10,000 in repairs (seller paid to have it fixed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dap99 Posted May 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 +1 on what amp said. Follow the guy around and ask about anything that looks off to you.Also, if the house has a septic system pay the extra cash to have that inspected.I bought a 7yr old house in July, went against the advise of our realtor and had the septic inspected - it failed. $250 extra on the inspection saved me $10,000 in repairs (seller paid to have it fixed) Wow!! good call, man! We're connected to the public system so I don't think we ahve to worry about that. But it is an older home and it seems that "some" water gets in the basement "infrequently" which really has me freaked out. But part of the basement is finished so I'm hoping it's not too bad. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 Make sure the home inspector is licensed in your state/county. Then ask away as he/she moves around your house, anything at all that comes to mind. Speaking of wet basements, I'm dropping $8k to have my basement waterproofed. Both the home inspector and the structural engineer (a completely different person) noted leaking into the basement. I bought the home anyway, because it was a foreclosure being sold "as is". The floor along most of the walls was wet after the latest round of storms, which led me to pay my contractor extra for the waterproofing job. Much of the cost is because he has to get under my wooden front porch and do lots of digging so he can get the gravel and new drain pipe down there. Even with the $8k additional expense, my total investment is still well below what houses are going for in the neighborhood, though I'm sure neighborhood prices will dip more by this December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bowlingshirt Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 When the inspector finds something wrong that can be a bit of a problem, ask him how much money do they think it will cost to get it fixed. They should be able to come up with a reasonable ballpark figure, and you can use this info when negotiating the price of the house if the current homeowners refuse to do the repairs themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members opultaM Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 Ask "Is there tuna fish rotting behind the walls?" I'm looking for a place myself. It's fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 When the inspector finds something wrong that can be a bit of a problem, ask him how much money do they think it will cost to get it fixed. They should be able to come up with a reasonable ballpark figure, and you can use this info when negotiating the price of the house if the current homeowners refuse to do the repairs themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amp_surgeon Posted May 19, 2008 Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 amp surgeon, I agree that the inspectors know what they're doing, I just figured that maybe there have been certain experiences of people wishing they'd asked somethign or maybe the inspector even failed to mention something. I'd like to believe that these people are competent at their jobs, but you just never know these days. I had the opposite experience with my inspector. I had prepared a list of questions to ask. In the end, the inspector found stuff that needed repair that I didn't know that houses even had! I spent two days on google after that learning stuff about home construction so I could understand exactly what it was that he'd found, and why it needed to be fixed. After the inspection he talked to me for about 20 minutes. By the time he was done he'd answered all the questions I'd prepared without me even having to ask them. He only ended up finding two category 1 problems. There was some dry rot in the wood on the south facing outside wall of the house, and the outside walk-in door on the garage (also along the south facing wall) was rotted. The owners agreed to have both repaired in order to satisfy my lender, and the repairs were finished before I moved in. I was really worried before the inspection, but afterward I really felt like there were professionals looking out for my interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dap99 Posted May 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2008 I hope that's the case w/ me! ThanksI had the opposite experience with my inspector. I had prepared a list of questions to ask. In the end, the inspector found stuff that needed repair that I didn't know that houses even had! I spent two days on google after that learning stuff about home construction so I could understand exactly what it was that he'd found, and why it needed to be fixed.After the inspection he talked to me for about 20 minutes. By the time he was done he'd answered all the questions I'd prepared without me even having to ask them.He only ended up finding two category 1 problems. There was some dry rot in the wood on the south facing outside wall of the house, and the outside walk-in door on the garage (also along the south facing wall) was rotted. The owners agreed to have both repaired in order to satisfy my lender, and the repairs were finished before I moved in.I was really worried before the inspection, but afterward I really felt like there were professionals looking out for my interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 BTW, after my home inspection, the inspector left for me a binder about as big as a phone book, packed with info and notes on just about every aspect of the house (electrical system, plumbing, yard, etc, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lanefair Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Never mind the house, find out if the neighbors are c**ts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members C-Dawg Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 All this is good advice. I just had a home inspected yesterday for a house I'm supposed to close on June 17. He didn't find anything major that we didn't already know about. One more thing I would suggest, get it inspected for termites and carpenter ants! The home inspector doesn't really look for that stuff like a pest man does. Just FYI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AaronF Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Check for radon. You'd be surprised where that stuff can show up. We bought a house to flip and when we bought it it didn't show up on the test, when we sold it it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dap99 Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Check for radon. You'd be surprised where that stuff can show up. We bought a house to flip and when we bought it it didn't show up on the test, when we sold it it did.Check, and Check. Our realtors hooked us up w/ not only the Engineer, but w/ the "specialists" in the different areas like Furnace, Chimney, and Pests. Man, we'll see what happens on Friday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Check, and Check. Our realtors hooked us up w/ not only the Engineer, but w/ the "specialists" in the different areas like Furnace, Chimney, and Pests. Man, we'll see what happens on Friday Sounds like you got good realtors. Mine also hooked me up with the home inspector, radon/lead paint inspector, termite inspector, and structural engineer (I asked for this last one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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