Don’t Confuse An Appraisal With An Independent Home Inspection

When buying a home, there are a variety of individuals that will visit the property and do different evaluations for different purposed. It can be easy to think that with this many people viewing the home, hiring your own independent home inspector is redundant because if there are issues they’re bound to be uncovered. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

What is an Appraisal?
When you apply for a home loan, the bank will complete an evaluation of the property in order to ensure that it is not worth less than the amount you are requesting. When an appraiser visits the property, they’ll evaluate the square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, and the age of the property. The appraiser will find nearby homes with comparable specs that recently sold, and use that sale value to help them ascertain the value of your desired home. The bank won’t be willing to give you $200,000 dollars for a property that is only worth $150,000, as the property itself is the only collateral for the loan. The appraisers only job is to compare the basic specifications and condition of the home with surrounding properties, they aren’t closely observing the intricate details of the home itself.

What Does a Home Inspector Do?
The purpose of a home inspection is to protect your interests where it concerns unforeseen repairs and the safety of the the inhabitants. Your home inspector will closely exam all aspects of the home including the roof, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and more. Your home will be examined from top to bottom to ensure that everything is up to code and in good condition. When you hire your own independent inspector, you won’t have to worry that you aren’t getting all of the information. They’ll provide you with a detailed report including photographs and outlining the condition of the home.

Purchasing a home is a big step, and it’s important to ensure that you have as much information up front as possible. By investing in a home inspection you can use the information garnered to secure a fair sale price in negotiations with the current owners. When something in the home is in need of costly repairs, often the current owner will either repair it themselves or deduct the cost of repairs from their asking price.

By hiring an experienced licensed inspector, you’ll be protecting your family and your investment. Contact Super Inspection Pros today to schedule an inspection or to learn more.