Here Is How Home Inspection Can Save You Time & Money

We, as homebuyers, look into every aspect that can affect our property deal in the long run, including amenities, location, documentation and legalities. But, we miss on a very vital aspect of property hunting – home inspection. Little thought is given into the fact that there remains a lot to be looked into before buying a house or taking one on rent. This requires you to run a home inspection before you sign the dotted line. Know that it can save you a lot of time and money that you would otherwise have to spend in future amending the issues.   

What Is Home Inspection?

Well, home inspection or property inspection involves a non-invasive examination of the condition of any property which is about to be rented or sold. The service is more prevalent in the US and some other countries where buyers are keen on knowing about every minute detail of the condition of the property they get interested in.

Also Read: 4 Home Inspection Mistakes A Home Buyer Should Avoid

To be precise, it is a professional inspection of the building/unit to ensure that buyers and tenants get to buy or rent a property that is in a good and liveable condition.

Why Hire A Home Inspector?

There is a lot that you as a homebuyer may miss during your property visits. In many cases, buyers and tenants often remain unaware of the expenditure that they have to incur once they take possession of the property.  

A professional and qualified home inspector is trained to scan the visible and accessible areas of the property to identify any health and safety hazards it poses. They can bring forth the areas that would need further specialised attention.

What Does An Inspection Include?

An inspection includes structural elements such as the roof, foundation, walls, windows, doors, insulation, basement or crawlspace and the attic. It also includes electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems and can even include examination of the appliances and the furniture. Once the process is complete, the inspector generates a detailed report of the inspection that can be used by the homebuyer to proceed further with the deal.

Also Read: Benefits Of A Thorough Home Inspection

Do Buyers Need Home Inspection Services?  

It is imperative for everyone to get the property, they are planning to buy, inspected before sealing the deal. There is no geographical binding as a property inspection lets you know how much your new home will cost you further with regard to time and money. It helps ensure that the property is in good condition, devoid of any structural and material shortcomings and puts you in a position where you can take decisions regarding making important changes in the physical condition of the property, beforehand. It also helps cut down the possibility of any financial burden as well that you would find yourself under in a later stage. It helps avoid foundation issues or problems in structural designs that could threaten the integrity of the property on a whole or on an individual level.

A Decent Scope To Bargain

If nothing else appeals, then think of this – you get to place a fruitful bid on the property on your own terms and get into a position to bargain as you are well aware of all the factors that concern the deal. You have a clear picture before you that can help you negotiate well, and crack a fruitful deal, saving you time and money.

How Much Does It Cost?

Currently in its nascent stage, home inspection services don't have a standard fee structure. The fee depends on the area and availability of services and also to an extent on the cost or rent of the property. For instance, a property costing around Rs 50 lakh would attract a fee between Rs 3,500 to Rs 10,000.  

Some Pioneers

While home inspection services are yet to garner interest at local levels, some ventures stand out in this category. There is HomeInspeKtor by Phi Property Management Services (PPMS) that performs independent third party end-to end pre-delivery checks and inspection services in real estate. Currently active in Bengaluru, they plan to expand to other cities too. PPMS has partnered InterNACHI (the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) in setting up the India Chapter. InterNACHI is the world's largest trade association for property inspectors based in the US. The India chapter looks forward to providing local home inspectors access to all of InterNACHI's offerings and a network of support, tailored specially for India, including education, training and certification.