Denver CO First Time Home Buyer Series – What to Expect with Home Inspections (Part 8)

You read this guide, followed the steps and are well on your way to owning your first home. Your Denver Realtor® negotiated the terms and the contract was accepted. What happens now?

Among other things first time home buyers in Denver CO will normally get a home inspection completed prior to the inspection objection deadline. Why complete an inspection? Very simply, it is to protect yourself. You want to know the condition of the property you are purchasing and if there are any major issues. Discovery of these issues prior to the inspection objection deadline gives you options to terminate the agreement and protect your earnest money or request the seller to correct any major deficiencies.

What you should know about home inspections:

Professional home inspectors will perform a general inspection and issue a report of the property’s condition at the time of the inspection. The inspector will not be able to tell you what may or may not fail at a future date. The inspection will be completed visually and there may be items belonging to the seller which obscure the inspector’s ability to inspect them. The home inspector will not be able to find every possible thing which may be wrong with a home during an inspection which does make it important for a home buyer to obtain a home warranty that covers the first year of home ownership. 

Inspectors may not discover everything, but they should discover most items and give a home buyer a good understanding of the condition of the property. Some items may only be discoverable as specific conditions arise and if those conditions do not happen while the inspector is present a condition may be missed.

A home inspector is a generalist related to the condition of property. In some instances it may benefit you to have a specialist examine the property. A home inspection is not a warranty and is completed to lessen the odds of a home buyer getting a lemon.

Home inspectors should either come well recommended or be certified through an organization called The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Your Realtor® should be able to supply you with a list of quality home inspectors.

What you should know:

• No home is perfect whether new or existing – there will be flaws discovered.
• Your Realtor® can guide you on reasonable requests for repair.
• Requesting the seller to repair an item is a new negotiation and should be completed prior to the inspection objection deadline.
• The likelihood of the seller agreeing to make repairs will depend upon many factors.
• Yes, you should plan to be there for the home inspection.