(This story is sponsored by Nicelocal.ca)

Content created by Austin Ajayi​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Buying a house is, inarguably, an exciting experience. The prospect alone can leave you sleepless for nights. And who can blame you? It’s not every day one gets to own a residential property, after all.

Nevertheless, people need to stop letting their excitement cloud their decision-making.

Over the years, I’ve noticed people get so carried away by the thoughts of buying and moving into their new home that they forget to take other important matters seriously. Home inspection, for example.

It’s not only smart, but in fact essential to hire an expert to come and check out a new property before you pay for it. No matter the amount a home inspector will charge you, I can guarantee it’ll be way less than what you’ll cough up in replacement or repair costs in case there are faults in the building.

In case you need further convincing as to why you must hire a home inspector before your home purchase, kindly scroll down for seven of them.

1. To detect issues and faults in the building

Look, no matter how great a detective you think you are, you can never be as good at home inspection as someone who’s been doing it for years. From a building’s foundation to its plumbing system, a pro inspector knows where to look to uncover faults in a property.

It is well-documented that some home sellers try to outsmart buyers by hiding the faults in their properties with a quick coat of paint or patch job. When you hire an expert inspector, these temporary fixes will be exposed.

Having worked with many homeowners in the past, home inspectors pay special attention to certain areas of a house that are known to develop issues with time. These include the roof, plumbing system, HVAC system, electrical wiring, and so much more.

Trust me; you can’t identify and flag all problems by yourself.

2. Savings on repair and fixes

Realtor.com says an average home inspection costs between $300 and $500.

To be honest, that’s not too expensive, if you ask me. I know some people might beg to differ. And that’s okay. But before you make such a conclusion, I’d like you to take a look at the current average hourly rate of the best plumbers near me in the U.S. and Canada. According to various sources, the average hourly rate of plumbers is between $45 and $200.

Imagine you buy a new house without doing a proper inspection and then later find out that the building has leaky pipes somewhere. How much do you think a plumber will charge you to inspect and fix this problem? If I’m taking bets, I’d say close to, or more than, the $300 a home inspector would have charged you to detect the problem.

That’s the sort of cost a typical inspection process can save you.

3. Helps detect hazards and unsafe conditions

A lot could be wrong with a house without you even knowing. I know a lot of us are concerned about the aesthetics and the curb appeal of a building. But behind those beautifully finished walls are pipes, wires, cables, circuits, and all sorts of stuff that make a house functional.

How would you know whether those essential things are bad if you don’t have a professional inspector inspect them? For your own safety and the safety of your loved ones, it’s advisable to inspect a new property for all hazards and unsafe conditions. And a pro inspector is the right person for the job.

4. Gives you an advantage during the bargaining process

Sometimes, even a home seller may not know that something is wrong with the building they’ve listed. Since properties aren’t always sold on the day they are listed, a lot can go wrong between the time of listing and the time a potential buyer comes for a viewing.

As a buyer, having a list of things that are bad in the building can give you an edge during the negotiation process. You can use it as leverage to bargain for a reduction in price. Usually, in most cases, the home seller will agree to drop the price by an amount equal to the cost of replacement or repair of the issue. They know it will save them from the stress of having to fix things themselves. And for you, you can fix the issue for less than the amount of price reduction you get.

5. Helps get you a lender quickly

Did you know some lenders compel home buyers to perform a home inspection before approving their loan? In fact, in some cases, your lender may ask to speak directly with the home inspector you’ve hired or recommend a home inspector for you. This is to ensure that they’re putting their money into the right property.

Lenders know that not all homes that glitter are in good condition. As such, they enforce homebuyers to do their due diligence before signing on the dotted line.

6. Helps you detect problems sooner

Almost all house issues get worse with time. The longer you stall with repairs, the more you have to spend to fix them.
For example, a crack in a wall may begin with a small hole. But if left unfixed, environmental impact and pest activity can cause the hole to become a giant crack, which will cost a lot more to fix.

The sooner you know about a problem, the sooner you can start working on it. And that’s what an expert inspection service helps you achieve.

7. Makes the transition into your new home a lot smoother

Imagine moving into your new home and then worrying about plumbing or wiring issues for the first few months. That’s absolutely not cool.

As it is, moving from one house to another is already tiring in itself. You shouldn’t have to deal with issues like fixing things or replacing things. If anything, your home should be ready. And your only worry should be how to get your things in and set up.

You’re going to have boxes to unpack and cupboards and closets to get in order during your first days and weeks in a new place. Hire a home inspector and you’ll be busy making your house a home instead of ripping apart walls to get at leaky pipes and worrying about electrical sockets that don’t work.

For more information go to nicelocal.ca.