Do I Really Need Home Inspections? Find out why, what kind and how much
When buying a home, a good agent will advise you to get a home inspection. In Santa Barbara, where we work, we recommend a variety of home inspections. Why?
This article will talk about the various home inspections we recommend, why we advise them, and the average cost here in Santa Barbara.
Are Home Inspections Important?
We feel home inspections are a very important part of the buying process unless you thrive on having expensive surprises in your life.
A good home inspection can identify problems before they become expensive problems for you. They can reveal electrical, structural, plumbing, HVAC, pest, and other problems often invisible to the untrained eye.
At a recent home inspection we discovered a number of hidden issues. There were electrical problems in the main panel, a faucet was leaking down the back of the kitchen cabinet, the hot water heater was on its last legs and one of the AC ductwork in the attic had a tear in it.
Learn What Inspections Top Santa Barbara
Realtor Joe Parker Recommends.
What Home Inspections Do We Recommend?
We feel there are 3 main home inspections every home buyer should consider.
The General Inspection: We suggest you hire a licensed general home inspector before buying a home. They will investigate almost every visible aspect of the home including:
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Appliances
- Mechanical Systems
- Structural Issues
- Roofing and more
Pest Inspections: Often called a termite inspection, a professional pest inspector looks for a variety of pests that can damage your home or prove to be a nuisance.
Sewer Lateral Inspection: Since Santa Barbara is home to many older houses, we often recommend a sewer lateral inspection. The inspector will bring out a camera that looks for collapsed, or broken sewer lines. Since these can be quite costly and inconvenient to repair, we like to know before you buy if there is a problem.
Roof Inspections: A roof inspection is usually triggered by the results of the General Inspection. If there is evidence of a problem with the roof, getting it inspected upfront is simply a good idea.
How Much Do Inspections Cost?
The cost of home inspections varies from city to city. In Santa Barbara and Goleta, the price of all four inspections mentioned above is about $1200.00.
Twelve hundred dollars may sound expensive, but we are often able to negotiate the repair of discovered problems with the home seller. More often than not, the saving outweighs the inspection costs.
Joe Parker
The Santa Barbara Group at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services California Properties
3868 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 886-5735
https://TheSantaBarbaraGroup.com
Cal BRE #01314939
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