One way to gain the upper hand when it comes to home inspections is to go even further beyond a traditional home inspection and be as thorough as possible, hiring not only a traditional home inspector, but also other professionals to examine carefully all systems of the home, including the electrical system, the plumbing system, and the HVAC system, etc., as well as professionals who are qua lifi ed to check for pests and mold infestations, and other such issues. Too many buyers make the mistake of not ordering additional, specialized home inspections that could potentially reveal issues that a general inspection might not. It’s especially important to have these specialized inspections done if the report from the initial inspection recommends them; however, you should opt to have them done regardless — despite the initial upfront cost. In the grand scheme of things, insofar as homeownership goes, it’s really a small price to pay. It will be worth it in the end for peace of mind, and to protect yourself in the event any major issues are uncovered, revealing your perfect, glossy, shiny house to be not-so-shiny a ft er all. Th en you will at least be armed with the knowledge, and knowledge is power! Remember, as a buyer, you hold the power, and you can use the knowledge to determine what to do next. WHEN TO WALK AWAY If, a ft er the home inspection is complete, sign ifi cant problems are revealed that will be a) a structural, safety, or health concern; b) too time-consuming or expensive for you to fix; or c) unhelpful in getting you a better/lower deal in the negotiation process, then you and agent might determine that in the end, it’s not worth it and not the home for you a ft er all. In fact, professionals recommend that you should, in fact, cancel 133
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