Five Reasons to Get a Home Inspection

Five Reasons to get a home inspection
A home inspection can save you money whether buying or selling a home.

Many people believe that a home appraisal is the same as a home inspection. This could not be further from the truth. Real estate appraisers are prohibited by law from doing many of the things a home inspector will do.

The real estate appraiser is hired by the lender to make a determination of the fair market value of the property. The lender does not require the real estate appraiser to tear up walls or check into crevices to look for potential defects in the house. Some appraisers may check that the plumbing and electricity works, or may point out an obvious flaw like a large crack in the foundation. Nearly all appraisals, however, are written with language stating that the appraiser is not a home inspector and that the appraiser assumes everything in the house is in working order.

Here are five reasons to have a certified home inspector do a home inspection if you are selling or buying a home.

Reason One:

A home inspector's job is to look at all the things that may impact the current and future use of the house. You should have your own home inspection done and should not rely on an inspection paid for by another party. It is the best way to make an informed decision.

Reason Two:

Home inspectors know about electrical system and city, county and state codes that impact them. When the building being inspected was built, it may have met the codes at that time. At the time it is listed for sale, the electrical system may be out of compliance and may in fact be dangerous.

Reason Three:

Home inspectors know about plumbing and plumbing codes. Just like the electrical system, the plumbing system may require changes to bring the building up to code. An older house may have a septic system or leach field and could require a hook up to a city water system before a new party can move in. It may have lead pipes as part of the system and these could require new plumbing.

Reason Four: