5 Reasons to be Thankful for Home Inspectors

In this time of giving thanks, the team at A-Pro Home Inspections would like to wish our friends in the real estate community and the homebuyers and sellers we serve all the blessings of the season. As we gather around holiday tables to reflect on the past year, the folks at A-Pro are profoundly grateful for those who put their trust in us every day to perform comprehensive foundation-to-roof inspections.

Over the last 27 years, A-Pro has received a tremendous amount of feedback from customers who told us they were glad they chose to have a certified home inspector check out the property prior to placing a bid on a home or putting it on the market. We’ve compiled a list of five reasons to be thankful for the experienced professionals who peek into a home’s dark corners, check beneath sinks and peer under porches, navigate crawlspaces, descend into dank basements and ascend into cluttered attics, and perch atop roofs to visually evaluate the hundreds of components that make up a home. Rest assured, it isn’t a job for everyone, but it is a job we love.

Peace of Mind: Does every home inspection result in the discovery of major defects in one or more major systems? No. But that doesn’t mean you’ve wasted your money if your inspector doesn’t find any significant flaws. Knowing the condition of a home—both the good parts and the trouble areas—gives home-shoppers the information they need to move forward with the buying process. Nobody would buy a used vehicle without driving it first and, if you’re smart, taking it to a mechanic to find out if the engine, alternator, and brake system will be giving up the ghost soon. Same goes for a house. Plus, you receive a detailed home inspection report with photos—an invaluable document that lets you know the age of systems and what repairs/replacements you can anticipate down the road. You can expect this level of confidence by hiring licensed expertes who come with experience, advanced professional certifications, and ongoing training.

Money Savings: Buy a home without having an inspection performed and you’re asking for trouble. The stories of overly eager families who forego an inspection and purchase a home “as is” only to find significant problems once they move in (foundation issues, roof damage, faulty wiring, outdated plumbing, etc.) are countless. With a home inspection report in hand, a buyer can negotiate a downward adjusted price based on recommended repairs and replacements, or make their purchase contingent on the seller making these fixes upfront. Either way, the buyer saves potentially thousands of dollars just by investing in an affordable home inspection. When extreme issues are revealed by the home inspector, the buyer may choose to pass on the property altogether, sparing them from purchasing a money pit and taking on the financial burden and headaches that follow. Just think of the money you’ll save on aspirin!

Your inspector may also find conditions in the home that can further drain your bank account, such as window and exterior door gaps that lead to higher utility bills; lack of attic insulation or compressed insulation that is no longer effective in preventing the escape of conditioned air; an aging HVAC system that will need replacement soon; and a poorly vented, excessively hot attic that can expedite shingle deterioration and lead to ice dams in winter.

Safety Hazards: As we’ve discussed in recent blog posts, home inspectors are trained to report on conditions in a home that pose a safety threat to inhabitants and visitors, including missing or loose exterior and interior handrails, stairway defects that increase the risk of falling, unsafe and outdated wiring, overloaded outlets, creosote buildup in a firebox, electrical panel box defects, insufficient clearance of the service drop, lack of or malfunctioning ground fault circuit interrupters near wet areas, non-elevated open-flame appliances in a garage, and many others. Whether you’re a seller having a Certified Pre-Owned Home Inspection or a buyer making a decision on a property, a home inspector’s insights can literally be a life-saver.

Added Services: Beyond the traditional home inspection, many customers are thankful that their inspectors perform a range of additional services that check for dangers in a home as well as highlight conditions that can end up costing the homebuyer money. Ask your inspector about inspections for wood-destroying insects, lead paint, carbon monoxide, radon, main sewer lines, and mold. Other services include 11-month warranty, HUD, FHA, new construction phase, walk-though, thermal imaging, and pool and spa inspections.

Intangibles: For many homebuyers and sellers, one of the main reasons to be thankful for hiring a good home inspector is the benefits of having a friendly, patient, third-party professional to answer questions and make an unbiased evaluation of the home—someone who shows up on time, promptly delivers their report as promised, and offers extras that add value to the service, such as a free foundation-level survey and an “If We Don’t Report It, We Repair It” Accuracy Assurance Guarantee.

From the entire team at A-Pro Home Inspections, our thanks to all of you. May you and your families have a wonderful and safe holiday together!

Ask your local A-Pro Home Inspection team about its complete foundation-to-roof inspection in Boulder. To schedule one, call 1-720-438-4595 or visit the link below.