Buyers and Home Inspections: Selection and Deadlines

Those in the market for a home will have to consider several important steps to this process, and one that will arise as you're in the negotiation and offer phase with a seller is a home inspection. This inspection, which is carried out by a third party, is a way of helping the buyer understand any issues that might be present in the home and impact its value -- including those that may not be visually obvious. 

At Daybreak Living, our realtors are here to help you with every part of your home search and purchase process, from touring any of our Daybreak villages to assistance with many parts of the offer and negotiation segment. As a prospective buyer, what do you need to know about home inspections? This two-part blog will cover a number of important themes.

Buyer Selects the Inspector

In virtually every homebuying situation, with almost no exceptions, the buyer will be the one to select a home inspector. This means you'll be the one to ask for quotes from different companies, choose from them and then work with that company when it comes time to schedule your inspection. You can also follow up with the home inspector after the fact in order to get a better understanding of what they found.

One major resource at your disposal here: Your realtor! Our realtors have connections with a number of home inspectors, and they'll be able to pass along a few names to you.

Inspection Deadlines Could Be Tight

While this will vary from sale to sale, there are some situations where your inspection will need to be carried out within a relatively short timeframe. Many home offers, especially in today's seller's market, contain language that moves the process along quickly -- and limiting the amount of time the buyer has to carry out an inspection is one way of doing that. If you or your realtor chats with the seller's agent, they should be able to get a better idea of what your deadline will look like.

The most important element to keep in mind here is keeping the seller comfortable. It's typically not a huge imposition for a buyer to arrange an inspection within, say, a 10-day window instead of a two-week window -- and if doing so helps expedite the process in a way that benefits the seller, this will make your offer look even better and perhaps stand out from the rest. For this reason, if you know you can get the inspection done within a shorter timeline, this is a great way to differentiate your offer.

For more on home inspections as part of the homebuying process, or to learn about any of our homes for sale, speak to the staff at Daybreak Living today.