Shocking Things a Home Inspector Won't Look At

When you have a home inspection done, there are several items that either won’t be looked at closely or won’t be examined at all. Some of the features on this list may shock you.

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When people think about the process of a home inspection, they often assume that absolutely everything will be examined and uncovered. However, this isn’t actually the case. There are certain things a home inspector won’t, or can’t, do.

Today, I’d like to go over some of the most shocking things that home inspectors don’t look at.

First of all, if you are concerned about mold, radon, or asbestos, you must be aware that these are separate reports. These inspections are not included in a general home inspection, but can be added onto one at your request.

The reason these inspections aren’t included to begin with is that they must be performed by specialists and will require some lab work.

But, these aren’t the only things a home inspector won’t be looking at. Inspectors will also skip over certain electrical outlets, like those that are hidden behind heavy furniture. Any obscured electrical outlets will not be checked out.

Surprisingly, the roof is another item that won’t be looked over in a lot of detail. Some inspectors will use a drone to look at the roof. Whether they do or not, they aren’t going to be able to notice every little feature.

If you are concerned about a roof, you can hire a roof inspector to perform that additional service for you. A roof inspector will walk on the roof and examine it in great detail.

Two more items that inspectors will glance at, but not give a full examination, are the fireplace and chimney. The same will go for heating and air units.

While these sort of things will be looked over, it’s a good idea to have an additional inspection performed by someone who is a professional regarding these specific features.

Also, while it may sound a little silly, remember that an inspector isn’t going to look at the ground beneath your home. This may not seem important, but the placement of your home could actually have a big impact on how susceptible it may be to flooding.

Most inspectors also won’t check swimming pools. This is another inspection that can be handled separately.

And speaking of features in the ground, the last thing I want to mention is the septic or sewer system. Inspectors will make sure that everything is working, but they won’t flush it out or send down a camera. Again, this feature can be further examined with an additional inspection.

Your home inspector can’t see every last thing.

The bottom line is this: Your home inspector can’t see every last thing. If you have concerns about any of the specific items I mentioned today, you should have additional inspections performed by specialized professionals.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What Not to Do When Buying a Home

Today I want to go over some of the things you should absolutely avoid doing when buying a home. Certain mistakes could cause the whole transaction to fall through.

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Today I want to go over some of the things you should absolutely avoid doing when buying a home.

Even though your loan may be initially approved, this doesn’t mean you are out of the woods just yet. I personally saw a couple of different buyers lose out on houses as a result of this.

While you’re in the process of buying a home, don’t make any changes. There are so many things that will be considered when you are being pre-qualified. It is critical that you wait until after the deal is done and over before you make any major changes that could affect your approval.

Wait until after the deal is done and over before you make any major changes.

For example: don’t quit your job. You need to stay put during the home loan process. Even moving up in a job should be put off until after closing.

Also, don’t go out and spend a lot. Buying a new home is exciting, but expensive purchases can cause you not to qualify for your loan. Charging things like a new car or a ton of furniture can greatly impact you. It’s better just to wait.

The next tip I have may sound a little weird, but it’s important that you don’t pay anything off. Paying off a credit card can actually be a detriment in the home loan process because it will change your ratios. Taking away a credit card can actually make your score go down. Even though it will recover in the future, the initial impact is going to spell trouble.

One of the key things to remember is to not do anything to change your credit while you’re waiting for closing. Also, don’t move large amounts of money around between accounts. Suddenly moving massive sums from one place to another can raise some questions.

If you have any other questions, would like more information, or want to hear the full list of things you should avoid while buying a house, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Special Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

If you’re looking at buying a home for the first time, there are some important things you should do and a few things you should avoid.

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If you are buying a home in today’s market, it’s a tough time. We’ve got some special tips for you today, which will be especially good for first-time homebuyers.

First, just know up front that you’re going to have to compete for that home, and your offer may get rejected. Don’t think that just because you’ve made an offer, you’re going to get that house. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of competition—many houses we’ve seen have had 10 to 20 offers on them.

Don’t think that just because you’ve made an offer you’re going to get that house.

Second, you need to be sure that you have your finances in order. Don’t make an offer on a home without being pre-approved, not pre-qualified. Have your pre-approval letter in hand.

A lot of buyers will go to open houses to look at the properties and make a common mistake. They get really excited and tell everyone they know about how much they love the house. My advice is to play it cool; don’t let people know that you’re thinking of making an offer, because, sure as the world, if you want it, someone else does too. Be calm and low-key during an open house, and don’t let everyone know what you’re thinking.

Once you get your offer accepted, lay low during that process. Don’t make any major purchases, quit your job, or do anything that could affect your qualification. We’ve seen many deals fall apart because someone could not qualify.

So if you’re a buyer in today’s market, you need a buyer’s specialist working for you, looking out for you, and taking care of you.

I’m so proud of the buyer’s specialists on the Charlotte Mabry Team. These folks help their clients get the offer in place, get the best offer they can, and win out. We know a lot of great tricks that can help your offer be the offer that is accepted.

If you want that information or have any other questions,  you can call our team or send me an email. Have a great day!