All Forum Posts by: Shannon Hutchinson

@Alejandro Lisson Ramirez I am answering from the perspective of the daughter of a home inspector.

Your home inspector is like your general family physician. They give you a look over, ask questions and know when something is not normal. They investigate, write up abnormalities, then refer for anything that needs a more serious look which could cause you extreme problems. When you meet with them, they speak and write up your needs in a language you can understand. They show you what they are looking for and give you advise on self care. The folks they refer you to are specialist and can give you a more in depth analysis of those big issues which you want to know more about. You would not normally go to the specialist unless you had a concerning issue and knew what to point out.

Yes, it is very normal for an inspector to encourage you to get an inspection by sometime with more speciality. My mom’s specialty was electricity as over 20 years as an electrician. With time, she gained knowledge in the other areas. Be careful though. There are some inspectors who take some required classes and have limited background where theymay not have the knowledge to give the best outlook.

@Petya Toncheva

As the daughter of a home inspector from the Midwest, i can tell you that it is your job to hire the specific inspections you will need for those specific areas to further review the findings and gather more information. These can be costly repairs if there is more damage than what you can see. Do not be afraid to ask the seller for their evidence, however do not use their word as fact. Take all of this information once gathered and go back to the table in negotiations.

Your real estate agent should be versed in this stage and should be advocating for you when going back to the table with the seller. Do remember that they can fix, take the price down (this one is better as you want your own person to fix it), or just say no to any fixes. You will need to decide if it is worth it to you to continue.

Great inspections now can save you tens of thousands later. Also, if the seller is responsible in fixing anything, do a walk through before closing.

@Ray Reed

Does she have any children? Are there any section 8 or other programs which would help her? Is she healthy and can handle the love? Does she have a case manager? Would you consider meeting somewhere in the middle?