recommended. Yes, it takes time, and yes, there’s a cost, but it could cost you a whole lot more if you skip this step. Before closing on the sale, you need to know for yourself everything about the property’s condition. This means that you need to hire a reputable and qualified inspector to conduct a professional home inspection. This inspection will reveal any structural or system-related issues, anything from structural integrity problems in the foundation, walls, or roofing, as well as any electrical, gas, and plumbing problems. Any sales agreement should be conditional on satisfactory results from this inspection.
Mistake #3: Compromising on Your Needs
Newbie home buyers often make the mistake of compromising on their needs, generally because the home-search process is taking too long, or they’ve fallen in love with a home that almost meets their criteria. Remember that list of needs and wants you carefully thought about, prepared, and wrote out back in Chapter 4? I mentioned that while you’ll likely need to make certain concessions on some of your wants (after all, no home is 100% perfect), you should never compromise on your needs. You wrote them down for a reason! For example, a concession you can make is letting go of your dream of a living room fireplace, but then not compromising on the number of bedrooms you will need for your growing family. If a three-bedroom home is a need, don’t settle for a two- bedroom home and just assume “it will work out.” On the other hand, though, think realistically and creatively. Let’s say one of your needs is a home with neutral colors because
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