Merribeth Burns - HOW TO NAVIGATE THE HOME-BUYING PROCESS

just a story “invented” by the previous owners to leave their mortgage behind. The buyers filed for bankruptcy and the house was repossessed. They left the home the day after their daughter was born, just three months after moving in. The house briefly went back on the market. Now owned by the bank, it was listed at $114,900 a year later. The property has since been taken off the market, while the bank decides what to do with it. The moral of the story is to have a good inspection. These buyers were attracted by a price. They didn’t have a proper inspection of the home before purchasing. It seems the real issue was the agent who cared more about selling the home than his clients.

HOME-BUYER PLAGUES

Although a home inspector passed on Justin’s and Kate’s home, he missed some problems. For instance, the previous homeowner supposedly installed and tested the sump pump in the basement, and it failed shortly after moving in, flooding the basement. Then, the sunroom was filled with termites, costing the couple $2,000 in repairs. After the termites were eradicated, they discovered the sunroom was entirely covered in mold, and there was no caulking around the windows to keep the moisture out. A better home inspector would have been able to see the signs of termites and mold. The sump pump should have also been checked by the inspector, but it could have failed after the inspection. Sump pumps can burn out, lose power, become clogged or misaligned, or malfunction in a variety of other ways. It’s valuable

36

Powered by