Tips For A Successful Home Inspection – From a Buyers Agent In Sydney
It is through a home inspection that you will find out if the property you’re eyeing is well maintained and structurally sound.
Hiring the right home inspector for the pre-purchase inspection is important to make sure the home doesn’t have hidden issues that will end up costing you more.
You need an expert to identify potential issues in a home, and whatever the home inspector discovers will work in your favour significantly.
With every issue you find, it opens up a door for negotiations. Your buyers agent can negotiate a lower price because of how much more you’re going to have to spend to address the home’s problems.
You’re almost there. An offer has been accepted and you just need home inspection help to complete the purchase.
One of the final stages before the final purchase of a property is for the home to go through a home inspection. Different types of inspections are performed by different specialists.
One thing is for sure, you cannot do this by yourself. You are going to need home inspection help.
General Inspectors and Other Specialists
A general inspector will check for things that could cause potential issues such as stormwater run-off, poor garage structure, air conditioner issues, and poor staircase design, among other other things.
But a general inspector can only point out what’s wrong. To address issues, you are going to need specialists. For example, if you see signs of termite infestation, you’re going to need a pest inspector to address that.
When you visit a home during an open house, you don’t really go on your hands and knees or peek behind walls to check for pests.
A pest control expert would know where to look for pests. Cockroaches like to breed under the floors and termites burrow behind the walls. A pest control specialist can perform a fumigation to get rid of the critters.
It’s is an expensive and time-consuming process, but it also means you can shave a few dollars off the offer price for the home.
What you should look out for as a buyer
You are protected by a 2004 move to ensure only licenced consultants under the Home Building Act 1989 are able to legally carry out a pre-purchase inspection. That means you won’t be dealing with dodgy inspectors who will just botch the job and waste your money.
According to NSW Fair Trading, there are still things that a professional inspection might not include. Therefore you and your buyers agent should still be on the lookout for a list of issues that the seller can address.
What a pre-purchase inspector does not include
Every little thing that needs replacing in the home requires a specific specialist. It can get very expensive this way. But if you really love the home, just think that it helps shave off a few dollars from the offer price.
A pre-purchase inspection will not cover what needs replacing such as electrical boxes, pool pump systems, etc. Plumbing and drainage are not covered, so you should try to flush the toilet and runs the taps to see if anything looks suspicious.
Check that the intercom and alarm systems work as these are expensive to replace. The inspector will also not look at stains on the carpet or floors. So check under the rugs and look under potted plants. Also, check that every window opens and don’t block reception.
No specialist checks for appliances, so you can do this yourself. Check the stove, the waste disposal unit, ovens, dishwashers and vacuum systems.
Of course, the selling agent can help you check these yourself but it’s best to be diligent and check yourself. After all, you are buying the house and it is in your best interest. You wouldn’t want costs to build up, do you?
Also, find out what neighbours think of the neighbourhood. It might be in your best interests to meet the people you’re going to be living next to. From this meeting, you can gather a lot of valuable information.
It’s best to know the area before you finalise the purchase.
Need home inspection help? Get a buyers agent in Sydney
A local buyer’s agent is the perfect resource for this sort of thing because they’ve been in the industry for years and are regional experts.
If you’re an overseas buyer, a buyers agent can help ensure that nothing is neglected during a home inspection. Having a professional buyers agent doing this for you means you have someone who has their ear to the ground, preventing you from making expensive mistakes.
Why get a buyers agent?
If you don’t have time to attend home inspections and need home inspection help, a buyers agent will gladly help make the process a smooth one.
Buying a home is time and energy consuming. A seasoned buyers agent will have specialists on speed dial, which speeds up the finalisation of the sale so you can move into your home fast. The journey from the property search to the completion of the sale will be fast with a buyers agent by your side.
If you are buying to invest, a buyers agent will make sure that what you purchase will earn you money in the long term. It’s expensive to fly over for a property inspection and wasteful if it turns out that the property is not what you want.