A Seller Home Inspection or “Move In Certified” inspection is the new trend in marketing advantages for sellers and professional real estate agents. A “Move In Certified” Seller Home Inspection will virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals caused by traditional buyer inspections. Home Inspection for sellers gives the leverage back to the homeowner (and their Realtor) and offers tremendous marketing advantages.

Real estate sales deals fall through simply because the seller did not get a professional Home Inspection to evaluate the condition of their house before putting it on the market. Eventually, potential buyers are going to hire an inspector to find Defects (Common Defects). The selling homeowner may as well know what an inspector is going to reveal and correct any possible issues in advance. The advantages of a “Move In Certified” North Texas Home Inspection are numerous. Consider the following:

• Marketing advantage, including listing and yard signs as “Move In Certified”.
• Online listing advantage that makes a sellers property stand out from thousands of others.
• See the sellers real estate through the eyes of a critical third-party.
• Seller home inspections assist in realistic pricing.
• Make repairs ahead of time so that defects won’t become negotiating stumbling blocks later.
• Encourage the buyer to waive contingencies, even another home inspection.
• Relieve buyer concerns and suspicions.
• Reduces the Realtor and home owner liability by adding professional supporting documentation to your disclosure statement.
• The report can help the seller substantiate a higher asking price if problems don’t exist or have been corrected.
• Alerts you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home.
• Sellers can use the report to communicate to contractors the nature of the defect(s), to obtain estimates for repair or to arrange for repairs or replacements.
• A seller inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour renegotiations.
• A seller inspection is the ultimate gesture in forthrightness on the part of the seller.
• Real estate agents who recommend seller home inspections are regarded as true professionals leaving nothing to chance.

As you can clearly see, there are numerous benefits for a Seller Home Inspection. Home inspections no longer offer advantages to just buyers. Above are just a few reasons that a Seller Home Inspection is vital in today’s market. As a Professional Home Inspector, I truly believe that both a buyer and Seller Home Inspection are extremely important to the real estate transaction process. If the inspector you are referring today does not perform a “Move In Certified” Seller Home Inspection, I recommend referring one who does. If you are a Realtor, you can provide additional value as a selling agent by recommending a “Move In Certified” Seller Home Inspection to your clients.

Are you buying or considering buying a home? If so, you probably hired a Realtor. If so, you did the right thing. Have you found the ideal home and think you may want to buy it? If so, your Realtor, the sellers agent, broker and lender are very happy. But, if you buy a house without a home inspection, you are buying the house “As Is”! Now why would anyone do that?

Yes. I am a Professional Home Inspector. And yes, it is how I make a living. When you hire a home inspector like me, it is my job to compare the real estate you are considering against today’s Texas Standards of Practice, local building codes and perfect conditions. No respectable home inspector wants to see someone buy a house that is not right for them.

Pre Owned Homes

By comparing your prospective pre owned home against today’s Texas Standards of Practice and local building codes, a home inspection will provide you with a complete education about how well the current and past property owners have maintained the home and kept it up to date with both modern standards and general maintenance. Just to name a few:

• Proper location and function of GFCIs
• Proper location and function of AFCIs
• Properly elevated water heaters
• Water heater drain pans and TPR valves
• Bathroom mechanical vents that vent to the exterior of the structure
• Post tension foundation cable ends properly protected
• Moisture were it should not be
• Wood destroying insect metal plate at the top of piers
• HVAC condensation drain lines properly installed to drain in a visible location
• Anti-tip devices on free standing oven and ranges

There are literally thousands of possible updates and maintenance items that a home inspector will be aware of and check your prospective property for. A home inspection will provide you with the information you need to know in order to make an informed real estate purchase.

Even if many of the items found “deficient” during a home inspection are considered an “As Built” condition (meaning that was the code or standard at the time the home was constructed), with a home inspection, you will know what items can be improved to bring the home closer to the important and sometimes life saving, standards of today if you decide to make the purchase.

If the house you’re interested in is a “fixer upper”, the home inspection will reveal as many possible defects as possible and allow a potential buyer to better understand the costs that will be associated with restoring the property to better condition.

If you still think it wise to buy one of life’s most expensive and long term investments without a home inspection, you are most likely buying real estate “As Is”. It is a fact. People that buy a home “As Is” without a Professional Home Inspection experience more system failures, maintenance expenses and buyers remorse than people who hire a certified, licensed home inspector.

New Home Construction

We hear it all the time! “I am buying a brand new home.” “It was just built.” “I don’t think I need a home inspection”. My response is, “Really, why would you do that”? I know that if you have ever bought anything during your lifetime, you have bought something (probably lots of things) that did not meet your expectations, did not work at all or was not well made. Buying real estate this way is NOT recommended by reputable home inspectors or honest Realtors.

I am sure that you would not buy a car without spending time to research the vehicle. I am also sure that you would not buy a car without taking it for a test drive. A home inspection is in many ways both part of your research of the property and your test drive.

A Professional Home Inspector will test drive every component of the home for you with an expert eye and believe me, no home is perfect. Not even a brand new home that was just built. The home inspector you hire should provide you with a complete education about how well a home is built, how the appliances perform and if the construction contractors who built the home meet or exceed today’s Texas Standards of Practice.

So, keep in mind that the few hundred dollars you spend on a Professional Home Inspection will providetion about your prospective property.  A home inspection is designed to:

• Identify major problems
• Identify safety concerns
• Identify repair needs
• Identify maintenance issues
• Identify items to monitor
• Identify deferred cost items

Me? I would not buy a car or any other expensive item without some research and a “test drive” of some kind. I certainly would not buy real estate, new or old without a Home Inspection from an experience professional.  So why would you?

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites:  Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Every real estate website has links to resources that the agents find useful, and that they hope their site visitors will enjoy. It is the same with Home Inspectors. Real estate website links tend to be more about property listings, agents, office staff, home warranties and all of the information and resources about buying or selling a home.

But, what about home maintenance, home inspections, home building, appliance recalls, reasons to hire an inspector, how to use a home inspection, how to understand home inspection defects and other information that home buyers can use to improve their buying or selling experience.

As real estate industry professionals and professional home inspectors, we can do more for our clients and increase the value of our services when we help to better educate buyers and sellers. Let’s do more than get to the pay check or bottom line.  By doing so, we not only gain respect as experts in our field, our clients will remember us and remember that we cared enough to provide as much information as possible to make the transition to or from a home a good one.

For my Home Inspection Company, this means providing value added resources in the form of links on my home inspection reports and my websites. I want to help buyers and sellers not to make a real estate mistake in this economy and, I want to help my clients avoid trauma, safety issues, worry and, most especially, buyers remorse.

Below is a list of resource links which my clients find very useful. As a home inspector, these are available on my website and, many are also part of my inspection reports. I hope you will take the initiative and add these and other helpful links to your websites, brochures and reports.

• Why Hire An Inspector
• Understanding Defects
• How To Use A Home Inspection
• Home Inspection Blog
• Recall Notices
• Building Science
• House Logic
• Home Facts
• Environmental Resource Data
• Transit Score
• 101 Home Selling Tips
• Sell Your Home For More
• Upon Taking Ownership, Maintenance Advise
• Complete Home Maintenance Advise
• EPA Guide To Septic Systems

If you have other useful resource links that you can share, please do. I look forward to hearing what other value added resources I can use to improve my clients experience with my firm. And, I hope you find the resources above valuable to your clients.

As a shameless plug, I also ask you to link directly to my website where your clients can find the links listed above and many others.

Selman Home Inspections – Selman Home Inspection Company is a full service North Texas Home Inspection company serving Ellis County, Dallas County, Collin County, Tarrant County and surrounding North Texas. Free 100 day Home Inspection Coverage with every buyer inspection!

(http://www.selmanhomeinspections.com)

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites:

Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

In order to be successful at selling your home, there is much more to it than picking a Realtor and getting a “For Sale” sign in your yard. Sure, having a great Realtor is important. And, all of the marketing that a Realtor can offer you to generate interest in your home is important.

So, my recommendation is, don’t make a mistake in this economy! You want to make as much money as possible when you sell, and, you don’t want any nasty surprises or counter offers when you are so close to the finish line. When your Realtor lands a contract for you on your home, there are still several hurtles to overcome. Namely, the buyer home inspection!

Home sellers and their real estate agents are forever blind sided by the results of a home inspection. Your potential buyer is advised by their agent to get a home inspection. Often, the buyer’s home inspection kills the deal or creates unwanted negotiations or repair demands. After all, the person or family buying your home wants to avoid trauma, buyers remorse and, they want to know that the home home they are considering is safe for them and their family. The buyer does not want to worry and wants to make every effort to protect themselves.

So, the answer is simple. PREPARE YOUR HOME TO SELL! Hire a Professional Home Inspector to perform a Seller Home Inspection and provide you with a report. A buyer home inspection and a seller home inspection are identical in most states. There may be variances in what inspectors find or report, but by hiring a Professional Home Inspector as the home seller, you gain tremendous advantages.

By hiring a professional home inspector as a home seller, you will know ahead of time what many of the items are that the buyers home inspector may report. Sellers can use their home inspection report to communicate to contractors the nature of the defect(s) to obtain estimates for repair or to arrange for repairs or replacements before a potential buyer finds these items. The advantage is that buy knowing, you can make needed repairs or upgrades as well as improve any safety issues before your sale is complicated and your potential buyer backs out of the contract. A Seller Home Inspection will virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals caused by traditional buyer inspections. A Seller Home Inspection gives the leverage back to the seller (and their Realtor) and gives the home seller tremendous marketing advantages.

A home buyer does not want to have to do to many repairs when they move in. When moving, the home buyer has many other things to deal with. Preparing Your Home To Sell is a smart decision and will make the sellers home more appealing and when listed as “Move In Certified”, will gain even more in marketing advantages.

There are thousands of possible deal breakers when selling your home. Some are minor and others may be major. Either way, you should know if before your buyer does. You decide which home inspection report items you want to fix, which ones you want to disclose in a real estate disclosure statement and which ones you feel are unimportant. The more you know about and fix ahead of time, the fewer complications you can expect with the sale of your home. To get you started in Preparing Your Home To Sell, here are a few minor repairs and home improvement items that can make a huge difference:

• Make sure electrical panels, water heaters, crawl spaces and attics are accessible
• There should be a solid surface walk way to attic stored appliances such as HVAC
• There should be smoke detectors installed in all bedrooms and adjacent hallways.
• Electrical receptacles and light switches should all have covers in good condition
• Ceiling fans and ceiling lights should be working
• Install anti-siphon devices on all exterior water spigots ($8 at Lowes or Home Depot)
• Trim trees and shrubbery so as not to be in contact with the house exterior or roof covering
• Remove excess soil around the foundation walls. The inspector should be able to see 4-6″ of the top of the foundation wall
• Repair interior drywall cracks in walls and ceilings
• Replace cracked or broken floor tiles
• Replace broken window glass
• Repair or replace broken window locks
• Have the HVAC serviced to insure it heats and cools propery
• Test garage door safety devices to make sure they operate
• Be sure there is an anti-tip device installed on all free standing ovens and ranges
• By today’s standards, all kitchen countertop and bathroom electrical receptacles should be GFCI protected
• Make sure that sinks drain quickly and do not appear to drain slowly. Be sure sinks are not leaking inside cabinets
• Check and be sure that the dishwasher is physically attached to the cabinets or countertop
• All bathtub and bathroom drain stoppers should be working
• Dead bolt locks should have a thumb latch on the interior side of the lock (fire safety)
• Repair any drywall damage in the garage/living area walls
• Replace damaged insulation on HVAC cooling lines

Many home owners can do these simple tasks or hire a handy man to take care of them. These are just a few of the possible 1000s of items a Professional Home Inspector will report. Believe me, all the little things add up and can cause a potential buyer to see a home as poorly maintained. And, these are simple, inexpensive things you can do to Prepare Your Home To Sell.

A Sellers Home Inspection is a small cost for so much information and so many advantages. Whether you are a home buyer or a home seller, the home inspector you choose is working for you, with your best interests in mind. That is certainly true for Selman Home Inspection.

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites: Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Part 6 – Buying A Condo Or Townhouse From A Home Inspectors Perspective

If you dislike doing yard work and other outside chores, then a condo or Townhouse may be right for you. Condos and townhouses are also normally associated with inner city living for those who enjoy the benefits of being in the middle of it all. With little or no yard work and convenient to shopping, dining, schools and work, they may be a good fit for your lifestyle.

Keep in mind that condos and townhouses have many of the same attributes as most homes and should be professionally inspected when they are bought or sold. As a buyer, you will still want to know the condition of everything from the foundation to the shingles. And, the condition of these items on the units that attach to yours.

Condos and Townhouses normally have adjoining or continuous foundations and roofing structures much like an apartment. The unit you are considering should still be inspected for these elements as well as the traditional items included in today’s home inspections. Attics and fire rated blockage should be checked as well as the condition of the roof coverings down to the slab. So, yes, you will want to hire a Professional Home Inspector who is experience in inspecting these kinds of properties.

If your condo or townhouse is a two story, you will also want to fully understand the condition of stairways and balconies. Are the balusters property spaced? Are the hand rails properly mounted? Are balconies safety cantilevered into the building structure? How well has the condo or townhouse you are considering been maintained and kept up with today’s Texas Standards of Practice? A certified, licensed Professional Home Inspector is trained to know and report these conditions to you.

In an apartment, the building owner is responsible for repairs, maintenance and upgrades. When you buy a condo or townhouse, you are the owner and are responsible for the home just like any other structure. And sometime, there are HOAs (Home Owner Associations) which govern everything from the pets you can have to what kinds of vehicles you can park in your driveway.

Is a condo or townhouse right for you and your family? Maybe so, but, what ever type of housing you choose, please, for your own well being, don’t neglect the importance of a home inspection.

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites: Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Part 5 – Buying A Manufactured Home, From A Home Inspectors Perspective

In my experience as a North Texas Professional Home Inspector, I have seen some very nice manufactured homes that were well maintained and in great condition. But just like “stick built” houses, I have also seen many that are in desparate need of some TLC.

Yes. Manufactured homes should have a Professional Home Inspector provide a complete report. And like other homes, WDI reports (wood destroying insects) and septic system inspections are also prudent. In addition, it is now mandatory in Texas that any time a manufactured home is bought, sold or moved, that it receive a Foundation Certification from a licensed engineer. The state requires it and all reputable lenders require it. It is important to note not only because it is smart and a requirement, but because it is a cost consideration in buying a manufactured home.

As I said, a home inspection, WDI report and a septic system report are just as important when considering a manufactured home as any other type of housing. And on top of it, you will need the engineers foundation certification as well which can cost as must as $700.

Selman Home Inspection is a certified field agent for several leading engineering firms and provides the required foundation inspection. The manufactured home foundation report which includes photos is sent to the engineering firm for analysis.

In general, the field agent or inspector takes photos of the foundation including the footers, blocks, beams and tie downs. The inspectors report of the foundation along with the photos are sent to the engineering firm. If the foundation is satisfactory, the engineering firm issues a “Foundation Certification” which is provided to the lender and sometimes, the insurance company.

Because of the nature of the way manufactured homes are installed at their location, lenders and inspectors believe that it is important to insure that the structure is sound, level, properly supported and, properly tied down so as not to be damaged by severe weather. Sometimes the purpose of a manufactured home is the ability to move it from one location to another. Because unlike other housing, a manufactured home is sometimes moved, it is another reason that lenders and insurers want to “certify” the foundation and tie down system of manufactured housing.

So, if you are considering the purchase of a manufactured home, you will want to understand that at least in Texas, it will require a foundation inspection not normally required of other structures. And, there are other considerations:

• Plumbing is often APEX or PVC
• There is no attic space
• The crawl space should be well protected from entry but well ventilated.
• Replacement doors and windows are often not the same size as those in other structure and must be special ordered.
• The HVAC duct work is normally in the crawl space.

Manufactured housing offers flexibility and afordability. When properly installed, tied down and maintained, they offer a great place to live. But, as a Professional Home Inspector, I thought you might want more information before buying a manufactured home.

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites: Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Part 4 – Buying A Rural Home, From The Home Inspectors Perspective

I love living in my rural home. There is plenty of space to raise cattle, horses, chickens ( which my wife loves ), a garden and kids. My nearest neighbor is a quarter mile away. The nearest town is 5 miles away. The main city areas that I serve as a Professional Home Inspector are only about 30-40 miles away which is well within driving distance. But, a house in the country or rural suburbs is still a house. It will still require maintenance, updates and care. And, it may have a few items that a home in the city may not have.

One of the biggest things to understand is that a rural home will most likely have some type of a septic system instead of being on a city sewage system. When buying a rural property, it is important to have the septic system inspected by a certified, licensed Septic System Inspector. Most lenders now require that the septic system be inspected. And, there are few certified, licensed septic system inspectors in North Texas. When hiring a Professional Home Inspection firm to inspect your rural property, try to find one like Selman Home Inspection Company which is certified and licensed to inspect all of the items in your rural property.

Rural properties often also have outbuilding such as barns, sheds and workshops. These outbuildings should also be inspected to insure that you as a prospective buyer understand their construction, use and repair needs. Many outbuilding have plumbing and electrical wiring which should be thoroughly inspected to identify any safetyt hazards or needed repairs. Remember too that these outbuildings, like the house itself will also require routine maintenance.

Ever build or repair a fence? Most rural properties have fencing styles that are unlike those in town. Rural fences like barbed wire, steel pipe, cattle panels or no-climb horse fence will require maintenance and care, almost every year. So when buying a rural property, keep in mind that you may also need to “ride fence” just like the cowboys of days gone by.

Another consideration when buying a rural home is drive time and the fuel costs to get anywhere else. With the price of fuel these days, driving to and from town can add up. Two trips per day to town to pick up and drop of school age kids takes time and fuel costs. Trips to the grocery store, hardware store, feed store, and everywhere else you need to go to get the things you need will take a little longer and cost a little more.

So, if you are thinking that you want to live in a rural home, great! As I said before, my family and I love it and would not change a thing ( except the price of fuel ). But, as your friendly neighborhood Professional Home Inspector, I thought you may want to give some thought to a few of the things that are different from living in the city.

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites: Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Part 3 – Buying An Older Home, From A Home Inspectors Perspective

In the present economy and with fewer new homes being built, many people who are in the market for a new place to live are seeing a large number of older homes in well established neighborhoods. These homes offer many advantages over newly constructed homes and other forms of housing. Some of the advantages include; seeing the neighborhood condition over time, close to well established local businesses, they are in great locations and many more.

If you are considering an older home as your new residence, you will also want the expert advise of a Professional Home Inspector regarding the condition of the house, how well the property has been maintained and, how well upgrades and enhancements have kept up to date with today’s Texas Standards of Practice.

All Professional Home Inspectors are required to inspect every home compared to “perfect” standards, today’s local building codes and, today’s Texas Standards of Practice. As explained in Part 1 of this series, not even newly constructed homes live up to these standards in most cases. So, as one would expect, an older home is even less likely to live up to these high standards when inspected.

Although no home is perfect, Upon Further Inspection, a prospective buyer should not rule out older homes. Many home owners, even if the property is well maintained, do not do all of the upgrades and enhancements required to meet today’s tough standards. Below are a few defects often reported by inspectors in the standards you may see when considering an older home:

• All interior vents such as bathroom vents should vent to the exterior of the building. In the past, it was common practice to vent interior vents directly into the attic space.
• All kitchen counter tops (including islands) should have GFCI protected outlets. In past construction, only the electrical receptacles near the kitchen sink were GFCI protected.
• All closet and storage areas with incandescent light fixtures should have installed a protective cover and be at least 12″ away from combustibles. Incandescent bulbs were used often in closets and storage areas in past construction. (Easy solution – use low E compact florescent bulbs instead)
• Attic access hatches and stairs installed in the garage should be fire rated devices. Few builders follow this standard even in new construction.

The list goes on and on. The point is, that these are relatively inexpensive upgrades and, in the opinion of this inspector, although reported in a Professional Home Inspection Report, are not good reasons to back out of a contract nor should they stop you from considering the purchase of an older home. The older home may be in the right location, well maintained and, just right for you and your family.

Remember, the purpose of a Home Inspection is to identify deficiencies in a home when compared to “perfect” conditions and today’s Texas Standards of Practice. Just think, even if you purchase a new construction home, in a few years time, the standards will have evolved again making your new home, imperfect just like all the others.

When considering the difference between new construction, older homes and other forms of housing, remember that no home is perfect. And, when buying a home, there is much more to consider besides just the age.

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites: Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Part 2 – Buying A Home From The Home Inspectors Perspective, Foreclosed Homes

Today, with foreclosures on homes at an all time high, those in the market for a home often consider buying a home that has been foreclosed on. The idea for the buyer is to buy a home at a substantially lower price than a property would go for as a normal home on the market today. In other words, the buyer’s money will buy more home for less. However, from the perspective of a Professional Home Inspector, there are many things to consider before buying a foreclosure.

Over the coarse of time when a home owner becomes in financial distress, home maintenance is often among the first things to stop. Home maintenance is expensive. And when someone is in financial distress and facing foreclosure, home maintenance usually stops in an attempt to save money by the current owner. The lack of maintenance may cause many defects some of which including:

• Foundation problems from inconsistent watering
• Tree limbs and shrubbery causing damage to the roof and exterior structure
• Rain gutters filled with debris
• Damaged or missing appliances
• Damaged or missing HVAC components
• Damaged floor coverings
• Damaged interior wall paint and texture
• Missing and damaged doors and door hardware
• Broken glass in windows
• Plumbing and vent issues
• Fireplace and chimney damage
• Damaged or missing light fixtures and other electrical devices

Let’s face it. Foreclosure is not a pleasant thing for someone to go through. Often, through no fault of their own, the home becomes neglected. Sometimes, the property is severely damaged when an angry owner moves out. What ever the reason, homes in foreclosure may have significant defects.

Because of the possible condition of a foreclosed home, a home buyer should consider the costs associated with returning the property to a good condition. While a foreclosed home may come at a discounted price, the cost of repairs may make up the difference for any potential savings in purchase price.

A Professional Home Inspection, particularly from an inspector who’s report comes with a “Report Summary”, will prove its worth the inspection cost when considering the purchase of a foreclosed home. Most inspectors charge a base fee for a home inspection regardless of the type of sale or condition of the property. Reputable, certified, licensed home inspections should cost between $275 and up depending on the square footage of the structure.

If you are considering buying a foreclosed home, be sure to hire a Professional Home Inspector to provide you with a report of the property condition. The property condition and anticipated repair costs should help you decide if buying a foreclosure is right for you.

Also, if you are considering the purchase of a foreclosed home, be certain you can afford the needed repairs and upgrades as well as the current estimated home maintenance and the monthly mortgage payment. The ongoing costs of home maintenance coupled with repair needs and the mortgage payment should be considered.

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

“Accurate Investment Protection You Can Trust”

Websites: Dallas Home Inspection | Fort Worth Home Inspection

Part 1 – Buying A Home From The Home Inspectors Perspective

Considering a newly constructed home? Good idea, for the right buyer. Everyone thinks that buying a newly constructed home will eliminate all of the possible defects that one would expect to find in other homes such as foreclosures and older homes. While it is true that in a general sense, a newly constructed home should have fewer defects that other home choices, even newly constructed homes are not perfect and, it is indeed a prudent decision to hire a professional inspector.

From a Professional Home Inspector perspective, performing a home inspection on a newly constructed home is normally one of the easier types of home inspections to perform. Newly constructed homes normally have met almost all of the newest building codes and safety standards as well as being in the best possible condition. The carpets and other floor coverings are in new condition, the appliances are working, the exterior and interior walls are in new condition and so on.

But, a Professional Home Inspector will still find defects, even in a newly constructed home. New homes are not exempt from deficiencies and builder oversights. Here are a few of the defects professional inspectors find in newly constructed homes:

• Free standing oven ranges with missing anti-tip devices
• GFCI electrical receptacles at all kitchen countertops including the island
• Settlement cracks between different types of exterior veneer finishes (brick & stone)
• Damaged or broken window locks, broken glass, damaged or missing screens
• Lack of smoke detectors in all sleeping rooms and adjacent hallways
• Missing or damaged gas fired appliance vents
• Vents that discharge into the attic space (should all vent to the exterior of the structure)
• Defects in fire safety between the garage and living space
• Damaged shingles
• Exposed post tension cable ends on foundations
• Poor grading and drainage
• Damaged weather striping on doors and windows
• Air gaps which allow conditioned air to escape the living area
• Insulation covering eave vents

You see, these just a few of the common items that should be corrected and, they are found in new construction, foreclosures and older homes alike. A Professional Home Inspection can document even the smallest defect, and sometimes, those that are related to the safety of your family.

So, does a newly constructed home need a home inspection? You bet it does. Granted, there will typically be fewer defects but, a home inspection is the surest way to document as many defects as possible and, make a newly constructed home all it can be. A Professional Home Inspector is qualified and trained to look for and document defects. Prospective home buyers are often excited about the home and buy based on emotions and other factors. Home inspectors are (or should be) impartial and, are working to protect you, the buyer.

If you decide to purchase a newly constructed home, do some research on the builder. Understand from others who have bought homes from that builder what they like, dislike and what the builder could have done better.

Buying a newly constructed home should be a great experience. But doing your homework and hiring a Professional Home Inspector will prevent much of what causes buyers remorse. In addition, Selman Home Inspection offers these valuable tools to help you evaluate your new construction home purchase:

Recall Notices

Environmental Data Resources

Building Science

House Logic

Home Facts

Transit Score

Next from Selman Home Inspections, Part 2 – Buying A Foreclosure From The Home Inspectors Perspective

David Selman
Advanced Professional Inspector
Lic.# 10299
FHA/HUD # F537
Septic License #113423
Phone: 469-371-3228

Email: david@SelmanHomeInspections.com

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