By Bill Siegel of Florida Home Inspection Team Inc.
As we all know, buying a home can be a very trying time, and one of the most exciting. Owning our own home is the American dream. A home inspection can help it from becoming the American disaster. Home inspections are done so the prospective buyer knows what the condition of the home he is buying. It is an evaluation of the major systems of the home – the structure, electrical system, plumbing, air conditioning, appliances, doors, windows, attic, sprinkler system, and pool. Additional inspections may include a septic system or seawall. A good inspection will determine the approximate age of these system, and help in determining the remaining life so you, the buyer, can make an informed decision on whether to go through with the purchase, re-negotiate a better price, or have the seller do some repairs. The inspection is not a pass or fail, but an evaluation of the condition of the property.
When looking for a home, you will probably look at many homes. Take a digital camera with you and photograph the outside of each home you look at. Take pictures inside of all the components that you think will be staying with the home – appliances, ceiling fans, chandeliers, etc. Make sure these items are listed in your contract. If not, they might not be there when you close on the home.
When is the right time to have the home inspection done? Unless there are special circumstances, the inspection should be done after the contract is signed. The contract will stipulate how many days you have to complete the inspection. It is always a good idea to have the inspection done as soon as possible, as issues may arise that need to be addressed. If you wait to the last days on the contract to do the inspection, you may have a hard time getting the inspector or your choice.
One of the most difficult things to do is find a qualified inspector. As of this writing, Florida does not regulate or license inspectors. So how do you find a qualified inspector? Referrals from family, friends, or someone who recently bought a home is always a good way to go. Try and find an inspector who belongs to a local or national organization. ASHI, FABI, NAHI, NABI are all excellent organizations that require testing and ongoing education. Be wary of organizations that are only used as a marketing too and do not administer proctored testing. Find out if your inspector is licensed with the county to operate (each county requires an inspector to have an occupational license to operate in that county). Does your inspector carry insurance? Ask for Errors and Omissions insurance. Without it, who will pay if the inspector misses a major system in your new home? You always have recourse through our legal system, but that takes time and quite often, a lot of money. Also, find out if your inspector is working for you, or is he really working for the real estate agent. A lot of inspectors, especially new ones, rely heavily on agents for their referrals. If a deal falls through because of the inspection, they loose their referral source. Not only am I am FABI member (since 2001), but I am also a member of the Independent Home Inspectors of North America (IHINA). We do not solicit real estate agents and have taken a pledge to work for our clients, and not the agents. Over 75 percent of my business now comes from referrals.
While buying your new home is exciting, there is some important homework every homeowner needs to do. You should go down to the building department in the jurisdiction of your home and do a permit and open violation check on the property. This will give you a history of the home. If the seller tells you the roof is 5 years old, the windows were recently installed, or the electric was upgraded, etc., you should find permits on file with the county or city. If the home has an extra room or an addition, there should be permits on file. If not, the work may have been done by unlicensed contractors, and there will be no warranty for these upgrades or repairs. There is a little known law in Florida that all work done on a home within six months of the home being placed on the market, when the seller has intent to sell, must be done by licensed contractors. You can find this article on my web site – www.floridahomeinspectionteam.com – Go to the article section and click on 'can a homeowner perform repairs on a house?' There is also an article there about work being done without permits. Not using a permit can become costly if the city / county finds out and becomes involved. I am asked all the time about what happens if a portion of the property does not have permits and what can be done about it. My response it that all work should be permitted and permits can be attained for un-permitted work though an as built permit with the city / county, but there will be extra costs involved in the form of permit fined, architectural drawings, engineering plans, etc. The city can even make you tear the structure down and start all over. My advice on how to proceed with an un-permitted situation is always to consult a real estate attorney, as they can guide you thought the process help in the negotiations. The other alternative is to buy the property knowing that there is un-permitted work and accept it. But just remember, when you sell the home, the issue may come up again, and the owner of the property is ultimately responsible for the un-permitted work.
If you are buying an older home, understand that you may be required to have an additional inspection for insurance purposed. It is called a four-point inspection, and covers the roof, air conditioning, plumbing, and electric. It is a separate inspection (they do not accept home inspections) and will determine the insurability of the home and the cost of the insurance. You may be required to do some upgrades to the home to bring portions of the home up to current code standards. It is good to have an understanding of this prior to your purchase, so if upgrades are required, it does not come as a shock.
A lot of the older homes also used to be on septic systems. Many times the city has installed sewer lines on the road. Do not assume that just because the tax records show you are on a sewer system that you are on one. Once the sewer line has been installed, the property is now billed for sewer taxes, even if they have not hooked up to the system. Always try to get a disclosure from the seller. The only sure way to determine what type of system you are one is to hire a plumber. They will snake the line and determine what system the home is on. In Florida it is illegal for a home inspection company to inspect a septic system. These systems must be inspected by a master plumber or licensed septic company. We do not determine the type of system the home is on.
A very important process of your home buying process is your pre-settlement walk through. It is so important that I have a clause in my contract stipulating that pre-settlement walk through will be completed by the client. This is usually done the day before or the day of closing. It is very important that you perform this inspection, as now all of the items in the home should be removed and you have access to all the walls, windows, and outlets. Do not let anyone rush you through this process. You should spend between one and two hours on your walk through. Remember, your inspection was probably done anywhere from three to six weeks (sometimes longer) prior to closing. Many things can happen in that time. Make sure you check all the faucets, toilets, doors, windows, floors, walls, outlets, and switches. If something is broken or does not work, you need to bring it up at the closing. There is a good chance you will get some kind of credit. If there are stains on the walls or ceilings that were not there before, a leak may have occurred. You may want to call your inspector back out to the property.
Inspections are for the buyer. All buyers should attend the inspection. Questions may arise. It is always better to be there, rather than just read a report. Remember, we are not there to tell you the good qualities of the home. You have already seen those, and that is why you put in a contract to purchase the home. By being on the inspection, you will have a better idea of what is a major repair and what is a minor repair. All homes will have some form of minor repairs. A home is like a car, but on a much larger scale. It takes upkeep and ongoing maintenance to keep a home in top condition. Once you receive your report, please read the entire report, not just the summary page. There is valuable information that will help you make an informed decision. If you have any questions, or do not understand anything, please call your inspector and discuss it with him. Our job does not stop when we send you the report. We are always there to answer questions and hopefully steer you in the right direction so you can get the answers you need.
Bill Siegel
Florida Home Inspection Team, Inc
6431 NW 199 Lane
Miami, Florida 33015
Dade – (305) 430-8800
Broward – (954) 342-4988
Boca – (561) 417-8733
Fax – (305) 628-1490
website: http://www.floridahomeinspectionteam.com
