Home  Inspection

 
          Don't Buy Your San Antonio Area Home Without One

Buyers home inspections in the San Antonio area are usually done after the offer has been accepted by the seller and the contract is signed with the contingency of certain conditions based on the inspection. A home inspection is needed in addition to a sellers disclosure statement. Don't plan on finding out much from the sellers disclosure. Don't take chances with one of the biggest investments you'll ever make, hire an inspector.  The inspection report will point out items that are in need of repair or replacement. The inspection will protect the buyer by revealing deficiencies cutting down on any unexpected surprises after purchase and move in.
An inspection by a qualified San Antonio area InterNachi home inspector should give you a good idea of what you are getting into with the home you are about to purchase.
InterNachi is the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, the worlds largest inspectors organization.
The inspection will clarify the extent of issues with the home, while detailing
problems that were observed and offers the information to allow you to negotiate the sales price, if need be, on the contract with the seller based on the new information that
you have received about the house from the inspection report.
A thorough home inspection includes but is not limited to the review of the foundation, grading, roofing, cladding, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, appliances,
 
doors, windows, attic including visible structure and insulation and more. A thorough overall inspection of the home should be done according to the InterNachi and Texas Real Estate Commission Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
San Antonio and surrounding areas such as Schertz, Cibolo, New Braunfels, Boerne along with other local areas offer a good selection of qualified home inspectors.  Important to remember, is that as with all contractors you
may hire , home inspectors come with a wide range of
qualifications. Go on line or ask your realtor for recommendations and then ask
the home inspector yourself about their qualifications or visit their Web site if available. Most inspectors these days rely on a keen marketing savvy and have informative web sites along with computer generated inspection reports including photos. Ask to see a copy of the home inspection report the
inspector will use and ask how long the inspection will take. A
thorough inspection should take 2-3 hours or more to
complete depending on the size, age and condition of the property. All Inspectors in the state of Texas are required to be licensed and insured. Many buyers price shop for the lowest priced inspector. The cost of an inspection is relatively small compared to the overall cost of the home being purchased. This is no time to cut corners and settle for the most inexpensive, inadequate inspection. You do get what you pay for.
No home is perfect, so expect to have some deficiencies discovered and reported by your inspector.
Even on new construction the home should be inspected.

Once the inspection has been completed and you have reviewed your report, you need to decide which of the items you want or need to have fixed.  The seller is not necessarily obligated to make any repairs, but with the inspection contingency in the contract you have the right to back out due to issues in the inspection report. Having a buyers market due to today's real estate market being slow, you should be in a good position to negotiate with the seller regarding the issues in the inspection report. It may depend a lot on how motivated the seller is to unload the property.  
In conclusion, a buyer should use the information in the inspection report to make a sound, well
thought out decision about the San Antonio area home they are planning to buy. Don't buy your home without a thorough, informative, professional home inspection completed by a qualified InterNachi home inspector.

                  by Joe Keresztury, JWK Inspections - San Antonio Home Inspector

Images by InterNachi and Aaron Mayer / Unreal Estate

JWK Inspections is available for Home Inspections in San Antonio and surrounding areas Monday thru Saturday. Consulting and Construction Management Services are also available. Call Joe Keresztury at 210-559-3236