Murrieta Real Estate Inspecting your new Murrieta Home Back to Communities - Murrieta Homes

Murrieta Home Inspection

After you have visited the available Murrieta homes on your list, you must begin to narrow the choices. You have evaluated your finances, decided on the type of Murrieta real estate you want and selected a neighborhood. After weighing your choices against your criteria, you settle on a final list. Now is the time to think about a home inspection.

The term home inspection sounds so official, but you already have begun the process by filling out the home ratings checklist while you toured homes. The first inspections are your own, from the one you conduct on your first visit to the one you should do as one of your last tasks before making an offer on a Murrieta home.

In addition to your own inspections, you should arrange for a whole-house inspection by a professional inspector. If you are financing a home through a government loan, FHA or VA, there will be another inspection at the time of the appraisal.

Although the professional inspection occurs after you make an offer, you should still be concerned about it before you make the offer. A contingency clause in the offer contract stipulates that an inspection will be subject to a time limit–often 7 to 10 days–during which it must be completed. If you wait until the offer is made to find and schedule a professional inspector, you face the possibility of running out of time to research and schedule the inspector or of missing the deadline. Since you want to make any offer contingent on a satisfactory professional inspection report, you do not want to miss the inspection deadline. If that happens, you eliminate any chance of having the seller make any necessary repairs.

Therefore, you should start looking for an inspector as soon as you begin to focus on your final choice.

Other Inspection Considerations

Walk around the lot to check sight lines and adjoining lots—is there a large doghouse in the yard next door, or will car headlights shine directly into your windows at night? If the roof looks old or has missing or curled shingles, ask if a roof inspector has looked at the Murrieta home recently and request a copy of the report. Look at exterior and interior walls carefully and feel for dampness. Measure the insulation in the attic. Turn on the water in more than one place to see if water pressure drops—when you run the shower while the kitchen sink faucet is on, for example. Flip on lights, including exterior lights and lights in the garage or other outbuildings. Find out if all the appliances work. Check the insulation gasket on the refrigerator doors. Note the location of heating or air conditioning vents and the placement of the thermostat. Is there cross ventilation?

Will the floor plan work for your family? Walk through a typical meal preparation in the kitchen area. Is this a compact, efficient kitchen, or do you have to walk from the pantry to the refrigerator to the stove to the cupboards? Is there sufficient counter space? Do the same for the laundry facilities. Are the washer and dryer located in a convenient spot? Will you have to carry loads of laundry up and down narrow stairs? Is there a laundry chute? Does the laundry area have adequate work space for sorting and folding laundry?

In short, during this inspection, mentally live through a typical day in this Murrieta home for you and your family. Imagine how you will manage your daily activities in this particular home. If you have children, evaluate the play areas and the storage space. Look at the front and back doors: are there both convenient and safe ways to get into and out of the home? In fact, throughout the inspection, keep safety in mind, not only in regard to wiring and smoke alarm systems but also to traffic patterns and family routines.

Professional Home Inspection

Many first-time buyers question the value of a professional home inspection. Many wonder if the cost of an inspection is really justified. Others think that the seller's disclosure form will tell them all they need to know.

If you are debating the need for a full inspection, remember that buying a Murrieta real estate is one of the largest purchases you will ever make. Are you willing to lay out thousands of dollars for a purchase you have not examined carefully? Furthermore, the seller's disclosure form is not sufficient. There may be hidden problems that the seller is unaware of, and these would not appear on the disclosure form.

An inspection report will describe the Murrieta home and identify areas that are or may become problems. If the inspector finds any problems, he or she can refer you to an appropriate specialist for further evaluation. More importantly, the inspector can alert you to the need for any major repairs before you make an offer so that you do not encounter an unpleasant surprise after you have moved in. In addition, if the offer contract is contingent on an acceptable inspection, the seller must repair any defects or reflect the problems in a lowered sale price. This gives you the option to cancel the offer if you are not satisfied with the condition of the Murrieta home.

The inspection report also will discuss the positive aspects of a house and give you an idea of the maintenance required to keep the house in good condition. All of this information will give you a clearer picture of the Murrieta real estate for which you are about to spend thousands of dollars.

Do not allow the cost of an inspection to be a deterrent in deciding to hire an inspector. Although inspections fees vary by regions and neighborhoods, you can expect to pay between $300 and $500 for a typical 2,000 square foot house. The inspection will take about 3 hours, and you should expect a detailed written report.

Do You Need to Inspect a New Murrieta Home?

Many buyers of new construction assume that the ongoing inspection processes mandated by the local zoning board are sufficient to ensure a sound building.

However, you should arrange a professional inspection–in fact, maybe even several inspections as the building progresses–in a new Murrieta home as well. A code inspector is trying to ensure that the new home complies with local codes or zoning standards. You need an independent inspector to look for problems that affect livability as well as the value of the Murrieta real estate.

Do not consider the model home to be an accurate reflection of your new Murrieta home. Builders and developers take special care in constructing the model because they use it as a marketing tool. You also should visit empty models and make arrangements to tour your own building project as it moves toward completion. Ask for a list of specifications and building materials that the builder plans to use on your Murrieta real estate so your inspector can determine if the builder substitutes cheaper materials as the project goes along.

Ideally, you should have a professional inspect your site at various stages of construction. However, this can become costly. To defray expenses, you might want to think about arranging with some other new home buyers to hire an inspector who will act as a site supervisor for each of you. Do not forget to visit the site yourself periodically to see how the construction is progressing.

As with any home buying process, do not sign off on a final contract until all issues have been remedied.

Do You Need to Inspect Historic Homes and Mobile Homes?

Inspecting a historic, antique or restored home is crucial in that some of the elements the inspectors are looking for affect safety. Many home restorers have taken care to retain the architectural and structural features of the original house while upgrading internal systems, such as heating and electricity. If you are considering an antique house, you need to employ an inspector who is qualified to check converted heating systems, improved plumbing and upgraded electrical systems to be sure that they are not only working properly but are also safe. A general inspection of the structural integrity of the building also is recommended.

A mobile home also requires a thorough inspection. In addition to conducting the customary inspection of the exterior and interior of the home, an inspector should remove the skirt, go under the home and examine the systems and components in the crawl space. The inspector also should make certain that the structure is securely anchored.

Reasons Why You Need a Professional Home Inspection

• You will learn about any problems or potential problems–including approximately how much it will cost to ?x them–before you make a ?nal offer.
• You may be able to negotiate a lower sale price if the inspector points out problems that may cost you money in the future.
• You will ?nd out the maintenance requirements to keep the home in top condition.
• An inspector can detect home repairs or remodeling that have been done by the homeowner and that may not be to code.
• An inspector has the tools to detect lead, asbestos and radon in a home.
• An inspection fee of a few hundred dollars may protect an investment of several hundred thousand dollars.

Professional Inspections

The function of a professional inspection is to reveal defects or problems in a home that could affect safety, livability or even resale value. A professional inspector is not looking for cosmetic or superficial problems, such as scuffed floors or dated wallpaper.

Professional inspectors understand all the components of home construction as well as their installation and maintenance. Because of their experience, inspectors know how a home's systems and elements are supposed to function together and why they may fail. Most importantly, inspectors can determine what elements or systems have exceeded their life span or are unsafe.

How to Find an Inspector

You can look for a professional inspector by asking friends or relatives for recommendations. You also can go to the Yellow Pages in your local directory and look for listings under “Home Inspection Services.” You should still be ready to evaluate the inspectors before you arrange the inspection.

The following list will enable to you to select an inspector who is right for you:

• Experience —How much inspection experience do potential inspectors have? How many inspections do they do annually? Are they full-time inspectors or are they doing this as a sideline?
• Training —Have the inspectors been though any speci?c training in home inspection? Do they have additional experience related to the housing industry, such as background in construction? Is it necessary that they be professional engineers?
• Professional af?liation —Are the inspectors members of a professional association? Have they been certi?ed by a professional association? Inspectors af?liated with professional organizations are generally well-informed about new developments in their profession as well as changes in local building and zoning codes.
• Liability insurance —Do the inspectors carry professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance? The inspectors' insurance policy will pay on any legal claim you may face in the future should the inspectors miss a problem.
• Speci?cs of the inspection procedure —What do the inspections include? How much will they cost? How long will they take? Can you accompany the inspectors? What about additional services, such as radon, asbestos, lead, water and termite testing? Will specials tests cost more?
• Report —What will be included in the ?nal report? Will the report suggest possible remedies for problems?
• Questions —Are the inspectors available and willing to answer questions after submitting their reports?

Once you have selected an inspector who meets your needs, you are ready to finalize your offer, secure in the knowledge that you can have the home inspected within the time period allotted in the contract.

Inspector Examination

The inspector will examine the condition of the exterior of the Murrieta home from the roof to the foundation as well as the attic, the basement, the home's heating and cooling systems, interior plumbing and electrical systems, ventilation, insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors.

In a condo, the inspector will inspect the interior of the unit as well as the common areas. You should provide access to any heating or cooling, electrical and plumbing systems that may service the building or your wing. Even if the condo association is responsible for the exterior of the building, you should ask the inspector to look at the roof and the outside of the building. After all, your condo assessments are related directly to the condition of the building, and before you move in, you should know if there are potential problems that may increase your fees.

An inspector must have WETT (Wood Energy Technology Training) certification to inspect a wood-burning stove or a fireplace. A WETT inspection is not part of the standard inspection unless you request it, and it will add 1 hour to the inspection time. In addition, the chimney must be cleaned before it can be inspected.

You also may want to arrange a professional inspection to test for lead from lead-based paint, asbestos, radon levels–radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas that may exist in a home or in the surrounding soil–and for chemicals in the home's water supply. This may require hiring an inspector with specialized training and certification because inhaling lead dust can cause brain or other organ damage, the federal government requires that sellers or real estate agents provide information to home buyers about lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in a home built before 1978. Home buyers will then have 10 days to conduct a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment at their own expense. However, the law does not require testing or removal of lead-based paint by sellers, nor does it invalidate sales contracts. Therefore, it is your responsibility to make arrangement for these inspections.

Observing the Inspection

You do not have to accompany the inspector, but most professionals recommend it. Following and observing the inspector will give you a better picture of the Murrieta home you are considering. By asking questions during the inspection, you can learn how various systems work, either separately or together with other components, and you can get an idea of what it will take to maintain the home and its systems. Furthermore, if you follow the inspector while he or she performs the inspection, you will understand the written report better. Looking at a potential home through a professional's eyes helps you make a more informed decision about buying a Murrieta home.

What to Expect After an Inspection

At the end of a professional inspection, you should expect:

• a detailed written report in language that is easy to understand
• an opportunity to ask the inspector any questions about the report or the house
• the assurance that the inspector will answer any future questions you may have

You should not expect the inspector to offer to repair for a fee any defects or problems uncovered. This is definitely a conflict of interest, and it makes the inspector's findings suspect.

If you need any information on Murrieta Real Estate or Property please check our Murrieta Homes section on this website or contact us at any time.