Why You Need a Home Inspection When Buying a House

need a home inspection

A Necessary Step of Buying a Home

Buying a home is no small decision. Once you own a home, you are responsible for taking care of it. You’ll spend a sizable amount of money on the downpayment, mortgage payments, insurance, and all the other expenses that come along with homeownership. You need a home inspection to learn about the exact condition of the house you are buying.

After Putting in an Offer, You Need a Home Inspection

Typically, the buyer orders a home inspection once their offer has been accepted by the seller. It is the last chance to find out about any issues with the home before closing. Without a home inspection, you could be faced with a worst-case scenario after you have closed on the house. For instance, you could find out that the home has a structural problem that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix. This could turn a house that you thought was within your budget into a financial burden.

Use the Home Inspection as a Contingency

A home inspection protects you if you have included it as a contingency in your offer. This clause gives you the freedom to back out of the deal or request concessions if the inspection report shows serious issues with the house. You need a home inspection performed so that your agent can include a home inspection contingency in your offer.

Be Prepared for Future Maintenance

In the best-case scenario, no major issues are found during the home inspection and you close on the house successfully. In this scenario, the homebuyer still greatly benefits from the information in the inspection report. It contains details that a homeowner should know, like where the main water shutoff is located and when they should expect to replace components like the water heater and roof. You’ll be better prepared to maintain the house and budget for home improvements.

Prime Home Inspections provides home inspections to Western Washington. Contact us to schedule an appointment.