Always Use A Licenced Home Inspector

Buying a House in Edmonton? Don't Forget to Have the Home Inspected by a Licensed Inspector - and Here's Why A lot of first time homebuyers shrug off the opportunity to have the house professionally inspected by a licensed inspector before signing the contract. The reasons are always the same: ‘it’s a new house so it doesn’t need it,’ ‘it’s an unnecessary cost’ and most commonly, ‘I didn’t know I was supposed to.’ It doesn’t matter what the reason is, the end result will always be a massive expense to fix something that could have been caught early. Here are three major reasons to always hire a licensed inspector before buying a new home in Edmonton.

Even New Constructions May Have Structural Problems

An inspector will look over the entire structure and system of the house. Electric wiring, plumbing, septic, heating, air and the sewer system will all be looked over as well as all the appliances in the house. They are trained to know what to look for and what the seller may be hiding. There is a belief that they are not useful in a brand new construction where everything is sold as being new and in working order. Unfortunately Edmonton is not immune to developers who will try and save a buck by not building the house properly. An inspector can easily see through this and advise buying in a different area.

An Inspector Knows the Current Codes

Every home needs to be kept up to Edmonton’s current building codes and standards. If a house is in violation of these codes it could be a major headache or safety hazard. For example, outdoor decks in Alberta have specific stair, handrail and guard requirements that must be met. If a seller builds a deck quickly to raise the sale value of their home, they may not have abided by these codes. Buyers would find themselves in an expensive hassle down the line if there is a complaint by a neighbour and they are required to fix or rebuild the deck. A licensed inspection would catch that.

A Licensed Inspection Helps with the Negotiation

After the inspector goes over the entire house they will give the buyer important information that will help them make an informed decision. If they decide to proceed with the sale they will be armed with a great negotiating tool to lower the price. Many buyers also write ‘seller’s repairs’ into the contract, meaning that the seller would be responsible for all repairs before the deal closes. This helps both lower the asking price and saves the cost of doing the repairs, giving the buyer complete peace of mind in their new house. With the rise of Internet listings it has become more common for buyers to make private offers instead of going through a real estate agent. While this may initially seem like a good idea, a real estate agent pushes for important things like licensed inspectors and proper real estate lawyers to go over the deal first. They may appear like unnecessary expenses but they can save the buyer a fortune in repairs and even lower the asking price of the house.