After your offer to purchase a New York home has been accepted, you will ideally have the property inspected. Even if the results of the inspection don’t have an impact on your decision to follow through with the purchase, it’s important to have one done anyway. This is because it allows you to get a better idea of what you’re buying and what might need to be done to get it into adequate condition.
What to expect during the inspection process
As a general rule, the inspector will only be able to comment on issues that he or she can plainly see. For example, the person looking at your house might indicate that the mold on the bathroom ceiling is a problem or that you should keep an eye on a cracked garage floor. However, you shouldn’t expect the inspector to pinpoint the source of the mold or tell you why the crack occurred.
What should you have inspected?
Ideally, you’ll have every core component of the home looked at during the inspection process. This means that you will have someone provide detailed information about the roof, foundation and drainage systems. You should also learn as much as possible about the plumbing and electrical systems within the home. Finally, be sure to find out if a tree, bush or similar items may pose a danger to the home or its foundation. Your real estate agent may be able to provide a checklist prior to the inspection.
Generally speaking, an inspection is conducted to confirm what the seller has said about the property. If you find any issues that were not disclosed by the seller, it may be possible to renegotiate the terms of the sale or back out of the transaction without penalty.