The Home Inspection

The offer has been negotiated and a contract for purchase and sale has been executed between the Buyer and the Seller; the next step is to have a through inspection of the home by a state licensed inspector. The findings can make or break the entire sale, and it’s not uncommon for it to lead to negotiations of repair or compromise.

Personally, I prefer to attend the home inspection. Realtors are usually welcome, but I have experienced a couple of hostile home sellers that did not want to let me in the door. That’s never a good sign! Besides carrying out my responsibilities to my clients, I find that I learn a great deal, as each home is unique, state laws do change, and the details of the inspector’s report can be more easily discussed with my clients.

A 4- point inspection includes the electrical system, the roof, the HVAC system, and the plumbing system which includes the appliances and the water heater. Even after careful observation to estimate the useful life of the roof, no matter if the shingles are showing wear or not, most major companies insuring Florida residences are giving an approximate 15-year limit on shingle roofs. There is more leniency for 50-year metal roofs. Currently, most insurance companies are requiring a wind mitigation certificate, even with the State of Florida not requiring one for a policy. The structural integrity of the home and its vulnerability to high winds and storm damage includes the roof-to-wall connection, the number and placement of nails, a secondary water barrier should shingles fail, the front door and the garage door. With a newer roof however, the state does enforce a discount on the windstorm portion of the policy for hurricane-resistant features.

It is also recommended to have the septic inspected separately by a professional. I worked one side of a home sale that (to the surprise of all parties) cleared all the hurdles except for the septic inspection. As the home inspector was performing his checks on the plumbing inside – which was actually working as expected; the septic pro untapped a septic lid that was actually fractured. He then gently dug around to unfold a series of issues, from the drainage pipes leading away from the house to the tank, plus into the drain field. Once exposed, there was an obvious break in the pipes. They were not attached to the septic holding tank and were flowing water and eroding the soil around the break. The home’s roof had recently been replaced and apparently the weight of the dumpster that was parked next to the house for the tear-off materials had crushed several components including the damage in the drain field.

In this case, the community HOA insisted immediate action. Unfortunately, the buyer was not willing to wait for the repair, or use funds that could be placed in escrow as part of the closing settlement. Ultimately, the cost to the homeowners was about $8,000 and the listing was on hold in the meantime. Pending the details of any FAR/BAR Contract for Sale, should any repairs be needed, it is likely stated that it is the responsibility of the home seller up to a certain dollar amount. A limit of 1.5% of the purchase price is very common.

Insurance companies are also sensitive to aged HVAC systems. Leakage and rust are not always visible outside the shell of the air handler, for instance. Only a thorough inspection can tell what is really going on when the temperatures are differing room to room and the system is struggling.

Mold and wood destroying organism (WDO) inspections are another recommendation. A general home inspection may not always detect the effects of water damage hidden beneath the walls. Mold can be harmful to health and needs to be detected and identified by a professional. With a WDO inspection, it’s not just active termites an inspector is searching for, but also evidence of wood decay, past infestations, damage to wooden structures, any past treatments and any favorable conditions for infestations.

If you need a recommendation of a good inspector, please contact me.

Julie Castro, Sales Associate, PSA, CREN, Florida Notary

Call 352-895-1793 or email jcastro@ellisonrealty.com