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Minor issues and cosmetic repairs such as broken door handles or window locks may not be a big concern in a home inspection report. Plus, these aren’t the things that fail a home inspection and kill your dream home purchase.
However, the potential buyer may decide to change their mind due to some common home inspection deal breakers.
For instance, a variety of reasons, such as signs of water damage, uneven floors, sloping floors, mold, and others, could make the buyer withdraw from the deal.
Sometimes, if a property is in a neighborhood with a high drug abuse rate, substance abuse, etc., it can significantly bring down the value of a house.
Read below to learn about the deal-breakers that lead to a bad house inspection and how to avoid them.
You should be aware of the home inspection red flags (problems) that become deal breakers.
Only licensed home inspectors in Fort Worth can identify these issues using their expertise. The reason why such issues are deal-breakers is they are irreversible, time-consuming, and costly fixes. Some people are happy with home inspection deal breakers since it helps them save a massive amount of money on the house.
However, these issues can cause them trouble as well. Some issues identified in the home inspection report may indicate an even bigger problem requiring costly repair.
Home inspections are essential in the home buying process. Such assessments help make the deal secure and keep the interests of both parties involved. A licensed home inspector visits the house and conducts detailed inspections using their knowledge and experience.
Some of the areas of the house and fixtures that they will inspect include plumbing, structure, electrical system, roof, and so on. If these individuals find any serious home inspection fails that could be potential deal breakers, they will require the help of expert home inspectors such as structural engineers.
One thing to keep in mind is home inspections are among the criteria you need to meet. The inspection helps identify any hidden or potential house damages and issues that the buyer or seller was not aware of before and, if unresolved, could lead one party to withdraw.
Should I buy a house with foundation repair? The simple answer to that is “no” because foundation problems affect the safety and value of a house. These issues may allow moisture and harmful pests to reside inside the house's floors and warp.
Foundation repairs are exorbitantly expensive since they risk the walls falling and hurting other structure areas of the house. Thus, any foundation issue falls among the major deal-breakers.
Home inspectors primarily focus on the electrical system to ensure that there aren't any issues or damages requiring costly repairs. They will check to ensure that you do not have aluminum wiring in the house's electrical system instead of copper wiring.
It is one of the common deal breakers because a home with aluminum wiring can catch fire. They result in electrical issues such as short circuits that not only lead to financial damage but also put lives at risk.
Radon gases in the floors below the basement (underground) can be life-threatening and have the potential to cause lung cancer. Therefore, a home inspector will lend his expertise to inspect the crawl spaces and basement spots to check for radon using detectors.
If the gases are above-recommended level, it may result in a radon deal-breaker and lead the buyer to withdraw out from the contract.
Since roofs are the major structural parts of the house, your home inspector will make thorough inspections to look for any roof problems as well.
For instance, if there are roof leaks, broken gutters, poorly insulated attic space, and other major problems, you will have to discuss and negotiate with the other party. In case the discussion doesn't work out, roof issues will definitely be deal-breakers.
If you are out there to buy a home, make sure you hire experts for home inspections to identify any potential or existing issues or damages in the property that you want to purchase. It is the "examination" of the condition of the house that helps you make the final decision.
Overall, a home inspector ensures that the buyer gets the value for their money and does not have to pay for costly repairs later. They also ensure the seller is fair in the dealing and is not hiding any problems or the condition of the house.
In any case, a home inspector will neither “pass” nor “fail” a house for purchase or sale. Their job is to suggest which fixtures require replacement, repair and which have irreversible damages.
Here are some of the deal breakers or red flags on home inspection report that a home inspector may find after viewing the house:
There are many ways to avoid a bad home inspection report if you want to sell your house. Thorough checking, detection, and assessment will help identify problems and fixtures that need repairs.
Hence, you can ensure that your house doesn't fail the home inspection before the report is complete.
DIY checking is one of the best solutions if you think you can fix the minor property issues before the inspection. This will give you peace of mind and let you negotiate confidently by keeping the condition of your house in mind.
You can avoid deal breakers during the home buying process. Hence, you can fix some issues without any hassle, such as attic insulation replacement, basement stair handrail addition, etc.
You can always hire a home inspector before putting your house up for sale in the market.
The service charges will remain the same. However, a home inspector will give you leverage and give you some time to repair and replace any or all fixtures and resolve other issues such as water damage, leaky roofs, etc. This helps you close the deal faster and avoid any inconvenience.