Liz May - THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO BUYING A HOME

thousands of dollars. They will also check for mold and other possible environmental health threats caused by lead, fungus, defective building materials, and asbestos. Even new houses need to be checked thoroughly. It doesn’t matter that the house recently had all the municipal inspections by the builder. Some of my clients' worst inspection reports have come in from newly constructed homes. (It's one of the most disappointing things I face as a real estate broker.)

#4. Have a Pest Inspection

Do yourself a favor. Hire a licensed pest inspection company. They’ll check your future property for contamination by flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, fleas, rats, mice, bedbugs, termites, beetles, carpenter bees, ants, and other types of pests. There’s no need to explain how much harm even a small number of termites can do. These issues often lead to major repair expenses and even health issues. Termite-infested houses can even become structurally unsound! If your inspector finds any kind of contamination, be ready to renegotiate the terms of the contract or even consider getting out of the purchase.

#5. Fix All the Issues After the Inspections

If inspections reveal any problems, you may want to ask for a price adjustment to cover the cost of repair or ask the seller to fix the problems. Some inspectors advise you to look deeper into the issue. They recommend that you seek a second opinion or evaluate it further with a specialist. It’s highly recommended you discuss the estimates with them and fix the issues as soon as possible.

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