Is it a good idea to get a home inspection report before you buy a home?

Unless you are in the trades and knowledgeable about construction and components in a home you would be penny wise and pound foolish not to hire a professional home inspector to inspect the property for you. Even if you do hire a home inspector, there are limitations on what you should expect. The inspector is only required to inspect  “readily accessible components” of the building including, among other things, the heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems, components, foundation, roof and structure. However, the inspector cannot see through the walls so there is a lot that the inspector cannot observe. Also, given the time of year, other areas may be more difficult to inspect. For instance, in the winter the roof may be covered with snow and the yard area may be covered with snow so it will be difficult to determine what kind of landscaping is actually on the property. Also, it would be difficult to test the air conditioning and conversely in the summer it would be difficult to test the heating system. Furthermore the building inspector is not required, and will not, give an opinion relative to the property complying with building codes. The home inspector also will not give an opinion as to how long he believes a component will last nor will the building inspector give an estimate as to what the cost of repairs might be. The building inspectors, as a professional, however, will pick up things that you might have missed that are not readily apparent to a normal buyer who does not know a lot about construction. At a very minimum it will give you peace of mind knowing that you have done everything possible to find out about the property before you make the investment, which is generally the largest investment most of us ever make in our lifetime.

If you have questions about this or any other legal matter, please contact Tom Bennett at (617) 531-6574 or tvb@barronstad.com.