Hire a Professional Home Inspector

Hiring a professional home inspector can be one of the most important things you can do to make sure your home is in good condition. An independent authorized inspector can uncover defects with the house that could cost you a lot of money down the road.

If the home inspector finds a serious problem, like the roof needing to be replaced, you'll know up front and can negotiate with the seller for the cost of the repair or replacement. If you don't find out until after you own the house, the problem (and cost) are yours alone.

When getting a home professionally inspected, you may also want to think about testing for environmental hazards like lead paint, asbestos, and radon. Again, your real estate agent can be a good reference for a home inspector.

Older Homes

Older homes can be charming, but you should be aware of special issues with them so you're not surprised once you own the home. Foundation problems, overloaded electrical systems and lead paint are not unusual in many older homes.

Home Inspection Tips

• Never forgo a professional home inspection and don’t think you can do it yourself – a professional can uncover problems before you buy, potentially saving you thousands of dollars down the road.
• Schedule your home inspection when you can be there. It's not required that you be there but you may learn valuable things about your home, including how best to maintain it.
• Every house needs an inspection. Even if it seems like it's in great shape, a professional home inspection protects you from unpleasant surprises in the future.
• No home can "fail" a home inspection, but certain problems can be brought to light. Make sure you factor in any potential problems and the costs to fix them when looking at your housing budget and making your offer.