It’s an exciting time, but the home-buying process is long and complicated, and you want to make sure you are making smart decisions as you go through the process.  Finding the right home and agreeing on a price is just the beginning.

One of the most important things to do is to schedule a home inspection before you sign any final agreements. If you are buying an older home, you may have walked through the house, looking at things carefully and noticing the slightly uneven floors, the paint peeling on the porch floor, the evidence of leaking on a ceiling, a hulking oil boiler, water in the basement, and all the other things that can exist in an older house. If you are buying a newer house, it is still very important to hire a home inspector.

Even if the home appears to be in excellent shape, the home’s aesthetics can hide real problems. 

What Is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection takes place after the seller accepts your offer and before closing. As the buyer, you will schedule and pay for the home inspection, which typically ranges from $300 to $600, depending on the size of the home. 

A quality home inspection can reveal critical information about the condition of a home and its systems. An important part of the home inspection is to make sure the home is safe. 

(Consider including a radon test. Radon is an odorless gas that can cause lung disease.)

How do I Find a Home Inspector?

Check with your real estate agent or family and friends for recommendations. If you search online, please make sure to check ratings and reviews, and assure that the home inspector is licensed with the CT Department of Consumer Protection if you live in CT. When you are interviewing them, ask for their license and any references from homeowners in your area.

What Should a Home Inspector Look For?

A home inspector looks through the entire home during an inspection, from the basement to the roof. You can ask to accompany them as they do their inspection. 

Some of the things they will look at are:

• Structure, including the foundation and cellar
• Plumbing and electricity
• HVAC, including the air conditioner, furnace, and water heaters
• Kitchen, including appliances
• Exterior, such as driveways, porches, and other spaces beyond the residence
• Roof, gutters, and windows
• Attic, especially to find signs of mold and leaks

If you attend the inspection and talk to the inspector, it’s unlikely the final report will include any major surprises. But it’s important to see some of the issues in writing, as they will give you valuable information to discuss with your real estate agent, lawyer, and possibly the seller.

How do Home Inspections offer Leverage?

You have a lot of leverage with an inspection report. You can ask the seller to fix the problems in the report, renegotiate the asking price or ask the seller to contribute more to the closing costs. You are in control if the inspection report shows major problems with the house. Many home purchase agreements include a contingency that lets buyers cancel the purchase agreement if major issues are found during the inspection.

Decide ahead of time what you can live with–does the repair need to take place before you move in, or can it wait? Maybe it’s OK, for example, that the seller gives you an amount of money for you to do the repairs after you move in because there’s not enough time before closing. If the seller agrees to make repairs, you’ll need to work with the real estate agent to make sure there is a follow-up walk-through to inspect the change.

If the seller ignores your concerns about the repairs–such as refusing to fix them or pay for you to do it–it might be time to back out of the purchase contract. If you’re able to negotiate with the seller on the most important repairs and end up moving in, the inspection report can help guide the initial repairs you need to make in the home. 

Buying a home is often the biggest investment we will make and it should be a valuable asset for your family. Hiring a home inspector can help you make the right decision and ensure that you and your family will be safe in your new home.

For more information on home inspection regulations, visit https://portal.ct.gov/DCP/Common-Elements/Consumer-Facts-and-Contacts/Home-Inspector

Remember, pass this on to family and friends, and stay safe.

This article was written by Catherine Blinder, chief education, and outreach officer of the Department of Consumer Protection of the State of Connecticut. To learn more about how the Department of Consumer Protection can help, visit us online at www.ct.gov/dcp.