Do You Need a Home Inspection When Buying a Home in Destin?

Once you have made an offer to buy a home and the seller accepts it, you are considered under contract. You will not have a lot of wiggle room to get out of the deal if there isn't a contingency specified in your offer. Before closing, you will be writing a lot of checks. Lawyer fees, inspection fees, and an appraisal are necessary costs that are your responsibility to cover. No matter how tempted you are to skip home inspection when buying a home in Destin, you shouldn't do it. Here are the primary reasons why you need a home inspection in Destin:

It gives you an "out" if something is not in order

A thorough home inspection will pick out all the critical issues in the home and its systems. Thus, you will become aware of how much you are likely to spend on home maintenance, repairs, and other costs. With an As-Is offer, you are allowed to back out of the deal if you are not comfortable with the home inspection findings. If you have a standard offer for a home or condo and ask the seller to make repairs, then the inspection is a no-brainer. Without the home inspection, you cannot ask for repairs on broken items.

Protection

Short sales or foreclosed properties are sold "as is" in many cases. However, one of the significant issues with properties that have been boarded for a long time is the hazardous mold problems. Mold problems pose serious health concerns, not to mention how costly it is to remedy them. Also, most home inspectors report missing outdoor compressors and copper plumbing lines in such properties. These are removed by thieves who try to sell copper to recyclers for money. If you ignore home inspection when buying a home in Destin, these are some of the issues you may discover when it is too late.

Forecast future costs

Home inspectors can approximate the age of major systems in the home even before the homeowner discloses the installation age. They include critical equipment like water heaters, heating, cooling, and even plumbing. Also, they can accurately diagnose the structure's current condition and let you know how long the finishes in the home have lasted. Every component in the home has a "shelf-life." Being aware of when each of them will require to be replaced helps you budget for such expenses. You don't want to have a pending major appliance or system replacement when you don't even have enough money to buy groceries. Also, this information helps you determine the kind of warranties and home insurance coverage you require.

Negotiating tool

The home inspection report in Destin will also give you the upper hand when it comes to negotiating the final price. If the structure needs repairs or the major appliances have to be replaced, you can use that to get the homeowner to lower the price. If not, you can ask for repairs. If the seller doesn't comply, you have the right to back out of the deal. Once you have signed the contract, there is no backing out, no matter the issues you uncover after that. For the sake of your financial stability, you need a home inspection in Destin before buying a home.

Determine the "deal-breakers"

From the home inspection, you can determine how much effort or money is needed to make the home comfortable for your stay there. If you don't want to deal with repair issues like cracked ceilings or walls, faulty gutters, or a leaking roof, you can back out of the deal and continue with your search for the right property for you. If you have ignored a home inspection, you won't be aware of these problems until you have moved into the house. At that point, it will be too late to back out of the deal.

Uncover illegal installations or additions

Any installations or renovations completed without a proper permit or that didn't follow code will be uncovered through a home inspection. It isn't something to take for granted. Illegal room additions or installations affect taxes, usability, insurance, and even the property's overall value. Don't be excited about the extra bedroom or bathroom in the basement when legally it doesn't exist. All hell will break loose when calamities or tragedies strike, and you can't claim insurance because that room "doesn't exist" Note that even new homes can have some of the systems not installed to code will become your financial problem to fix. The sale/purchase of the home in Destin has to pass inspection before you put your money into it.

Insurance

Many insurance companies in Destin won't insure a home until certain conditions are met. Also, some insurers ask for certifications like four-point inspections and Wind Mitigation. 

Hiring a qualified home inspector in Destin is recommended because they can complete these things during the inspection process, which eventually saves you a lot of time and money.

Additional real estate resources

Petra Noris gives more clarification about home inspections and whether or not they're necessary.

Sharon Paxson gives great tips for preparing for your home inspection.

Luke Skar offers tons of tips for buyers when it comes to the home inspection process.