Home Inspection

06Apr202206Apr2022

So, you’re not doing a home inspection?

reallivingathomeblog Arlington, Buyer, Home Owner, Seller Condo, Home Inspection, inspect, Real Estate, risk management 0 Comment

Question: Do you have any advice to help reduce the risk of not doing a home inspection before buying a house?

Answer: The unfortunate reality of the current market (and the market of the last ~18 months) is that, in most cases, to make a competitive offer on a home, buyers are absorbing all the risks (financing, appraisal, inspection, etc). Understanding the risk/benefit trade-offs and the downside potential of these risks is critical in such a fast-paced, expensive real estate market.

Risk Management is Critical

If I had to guess, I would say that at least 75-80% of winning offers on local homes that go under contract within the first 1-2 weeks do not have a home inspection contingency, meaning they are either not doing a home inspection at all (unfortunately common) or doing a pre-offer home inspection. As with nearly every decision you make in real estate, this needs to be done with great consideration for the cost of the risk and the value of the upside to make sure it is the right decision for you on a specific property.

Part of that risk assessment is making a determination on the condition of the home – whether it has “good bones.” Having a home inspection done is the best way to reduce the risk of buying a home with condition/maintenance issues but is no guarantee that everything will be caught. If you can’t do a home inspection, seeing a home with a trusted, experienced real estate agent or somebody in the home building/improvement industry (contractor, builder, etc) is also a good way to reduce your risk.

Property condition/maintenance issues show up in a multitude of ways. Below I’ve summarized some tips on assessing a home’s condition from inspectors I work with, an article written by Stephanie Dickens of BOWA, a local design-build firm, and my personal experience.

Observe How Water Moves

Water is a home’s worst enemy and poor water management can lead to water pooling against a home and getting into the cracks of the foundation, which can lead to structural deterioration over time. A musty-smelling basement is a sign of poor water management. Look at where gutters drain – I often find that they’re dropping water right next to the house instead of sending it away. Look at the grading (slope of the yard) and if water is running towards the house, look for drainage systems. Sump pumps are nice, but they should be connected to a battery backup in case power goes out.

Good vs Bad Cracks

Cracks can be deceiving. Something as small as a crack in the drywall could be a sign of larger structural issues but are most likely cosmetic. Straight, hairline cracks above openings or at joints, like the one pictured below to the left, are nothing to be alarmed about. If you see jagged, diagonal cracks that are wider than 1/8”, like the one below to the right, the house may have settlement issues or insufficient framing. A pattern of uneven floors and cracking around support (e.g. lintels) in one section of a home can be a sign of a bigger issue.

Level Floors Are a Good Sign

A nice, level floor indicates good structural support. If you look up to where the ceiling and the wall meet, the corner crease should be mostly straight. If the floor looks wavy or dips down in the middle, the floor joists may be sagging and need reinforcement. Uneven floors do not necessarily indicate a problem, rather is a justification for a harder look to see if there are other signs of active issues. We have plenty of well-built old homes with uneven floors around here that have been that way, without issues, for decades.

Jump Around

Stand on your tiptoes then drop down hard on your heels. Do this at various points in the house to test the deflection in different areas. All wood-framed floors are going to have some deflection, but you don’t want it to feel like you’re jumping on a trampoline. Too much bounce is an indicator of insufficient structural support.

Young At Heart

A house with newer core systems is not just a sign of good maintenance, but it’s a huge money-saver in renovations. Check on the age of the windows, roof, HVAC, water heater, plumbing, electrical, and main sewer/water lines. Any of these systems that are in the first half of their expected useful lifespan add tremendous value.

Permits Help, but Not the Whole Story

If a home has been updated or expanded, look for permits on the County permit status website, but remember that permits and quality work are not necessarily directly correlated. I’ve seen far too many permitted projects with quality issues and plenty of unpermitted projects done at a high level. Permits are a good sign, but not the entire story.

Look for Signs of Cover-up

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you see recently painted foundation walls, patched ceilings, or brand-new flooring in the basement. They may be perfectly innocent attempts at improving the aesthetics of an ugly basement wall or old carpet, but they are also signs of covering up moisture or cracking issues. Sellers in Virginia do not have to disclose defects, but they cannot actively hide, mislead, or lie about them.

Quality Care and Repair

One of the most important judgments I try to make when looking at a home is how attentive a homeowner was to issues as they came up and how likely it was that they addressed them with quality service and solutions instead of cheap patches. There’s no specific formula for this, but there are usually signs throughout a home that suggest solid long-term maintenance vs one-time, cost-conscious listing prep. I look for the quality of materials and craftsmanship in work that was done while the owner was living in the home. For example, the choice in appliances, windows, shingles, and plumbing fixtures. Signs of attentiveness and quality in the things you can see are often suggestive of the same care in the things you can’t see.

If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Eli@EliResidential.com.

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to discuss buying, selling, renting, or investing, please send an email to Eli@EliResidential.com. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Ask Eli, Live With Jean playlist.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N Fairfax Dr #10C Arlington VA 22203. (703) 390-9460.

08Jun202108Jun2021

Are Buyers Really Waiving Inspections? The Many Approaches to Home Inspections

elieliresidentialcom Arlington, Buyer home buyer, Home Buyers, Home Inspection, inspection 1 Comment

Question: What are the different ways of structuring a Home Inspection Contingency and how do they affect the odds of my offer being accepted?

Answer:

Last Week’s $1,000 Donation Poll

Before I jump into today’s column, I want to announce that based on last week’s vote, our team donated $1,000 to the Fisher House Foundation on behalf of the ARLnow community in honor of Memorial Day. Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military & veteran families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital. Thank you to everybody who voted and commented with feedback about the various charities.

Home Inspection Contingency Overview

Not only is this market pushing Buyers to offer well over asking price, it’s also pushing them to take on a lot of risk by reducing or eliminating the protections offered by standard contingencies: Inspection, Financing, and Appraisal Contingencies are the “Big Three.”

Of the “Big Three” contingencies, the Home Inspection Contingency represents the most risk to a Seller because it gives the buyer a nearly unilateral option of voiding and/or the ability to request Seller repairs or Seller credits based on the findings of the inspection. Thus, Buyers who reduce or eliminate the risk of a Home Inspection Contingency to a Seller are viewed much more favorably than Buyers who do not.

A home inspection is when a Buyer hires a licensed Home Inspector to provide a report on the condition of a home. They examine and test things like appliances, the roof, water drainage, and the electrical system to help Buyers understand what they’re buying. Depending on the size and age of a property, inspections generally cost anywhere from ~$300-$800+ before common add-ons like radon tests and chimney inspections.

If you’re buying a home, there are a few different ways of approaching the home inspection.

Home Inspection with Right to Void or Negotiate Repairs and/or Credits

This option is most favorable for Buyers and least favorable to Sellers because it allows the Buyer to void the contract (and get their Earnest Money Deposit back) if they don’t like the results of the inspection (or even if they just get cold feet) and also allows Buyers to make any requests they want for Seller repairs or Seller credits.

If a Buyer decides to void, there’s nothing the Seller can do, as long as the Notice to Void is issued within the proper window of time. Buyers can make any requests they want of the Seller for repairs and credits, but the Seller can also negotiate or reject whatever requests they want. If the Buyer and Seller are unable to reach an agreement on repairs and/or credits within a specified number of days, the Buyer has the option of accepting the Seller’s latest offer for repairs and/or credits or voiding the contract.

Most people would consider this the standard/default type of inspection, but in hot markets like we’re experiencing now, this structure is much less common.

Home Inspection with Right to Void Only

Also known as a Pass/Fail inspection. This option is less favorable to Buyers and thus, better for Sellers. In this scenario, Buyers retain their ability to void the contract after doing the home inspection, but give up the negotiation period to request repairs or credits from the Seller.

The idea behind this inspection structure is to communicate to the Seller that the Buyer just wants to ensure there are no major issues, but is willing to take on the cost/burden of smaller issues. Of course, there’s nothing stopping the Buyer and Seller from agreeing to repairs or credits within this structure, and it happens more often than you might think. This is especially true if a larger issue is discovered that is a surprise to both parties such as water penetration or a cracked foundation.

In many cases, the timeline that Buyers have to complete their inspection and make a decision to void or not is much faster than a “full” inspection, which is another benefit to the Seller. If the contract is going to be canceled, Sellers want that to happen sooner than later.

Pre-Inspection

In this scenario, the Buyer does their home inspection before making an offer. It allows the Buyer to make a significantly more appealing offer to the Seller because it does not include a Home Inspection Contingency (no right to void based on the inspection), while giving the Buyer all the benefits of being informed by a complete home inspection.

The biggest downside to this approach is that Buyers are paying for a home inspection before they know whether or not their offer will be accepted so Buyers can pay hundreds of dollars and spend 2-3+ hours at an inspection for a house that they get significantly outbid on. In many cases I’ve experienced with hot homes, multiple buyers are doing pre-inspections. I recall a house in Arlington in early 2020 that had something like 20 pre-inspection done!

This approach is not always an option because there may not be enough time to schedule a pre-inspection before the Seller is reviewing offers or the Seller may not allow pre-inspections because they take up large chunks of time and get in the way of other Buyers seeing the property.

No Inspection or Info-Only Inspection

Unfortunately, the market has gotten so competitive that many Buyers are purchasing homes without doing a home inspection or doing one for informational purposes only, whereby the inspection is done after an offer is accepted without any contractual ability to void, thus risking the (likely high) Earnest Money Deposit if the results of the inspection are bad enough to warrant terminating the deal.

This is a particularly unhealthy place for the market to be because it transfers a massive amount of risk onto Buyers who choose to commit their deposit without any due diligence or makes it very difficult for Buyers who refuse to take on that type of risk to actually buy a home.

What Should We Do?

While I doubt it will ever happen, I’d like to see the state or our Realtor Associations introduce a basic/minimum inspection requirement for homes being sold to non-builders/contractors/investors (like the “accredited investor” threshold that the SEC has for certain investments).

This would mean that in a hot market where Buyers are being pressured not to do a home inspection, Sellers would pay a relatively small amount ($200-$300) for an inspection report on the core systems of the home to be conducted by a licensed Inspector, with that report available prior to offers being made or after accepting an offer, but with a short review period that includes a right to void (like the required HOA/Condo document review period).

The best advice I can give is that it’s important to understand the risk-reward balance of any decision you make in real estate, especially as it relates to structuring or removing the Home Inspection Contingency.

27Oct2020

Advice on Home Inspection Negotiations

elieliresidentialcom Arlington, Buyer home buyer, home buying, Home Inspection, inspection, negotiations 0 Comment

Question: We just finished out home inspection and are a bit overwhelmed by the list of recommended repairs. How do we know what to ask for and what’s reasonable to expect from the seller?

Answer: As we head into the colder months and the market slows down a bit, buyers will start picking up more leverage to include home inspection contingencies with the right to negotiate, not just the right to void. I thought it would be helpful timing to revisit some tips, applicable for buyers and sellers, on home inspection negotiations.

Inspection negotiations can be frustrating for both parties so it’s helpful to establish some ground-rules heading into negotiations. Unless you’re buying a new home, you should expect the inspection to turn up at least a handful of items and you’ll need to quickly and reasonably determine which items are the responsibility of the seller or buyer.

What Is A Home Inspection?

After ratifying (signed by both parties) a contract to purchase a home, most buyers will hire a home inspector to inspect the entire home and produce a report of any issues/risks, from foundation cracks to missing door stops.

Depending on the contract terms, the buyer usually has the right to negotiate for repairs or credits, based on the results of the inspection, and the right to void if an agreement can’t be reached OR no negotiation period, just a right to void (aka a Pass/Fail Inspection). In either case, if the buyer voids under the terms of the inspection contingency, they will receive their full deposit back.

What Should You Look For?

In my opinion, the goal of an inspection is to ensure that the property is in the condition both sides expected while negotiating the purchase price. Items that have a material impact on the value of the home should be on the table for negotiation.

Generally, you can divide findings into big-ticket items that impact the value of the home and must be addressed and smaller punch-list items that are good housekeeping practices. The big-ticket items I look for during an inspection are:

Structural Flaws
Water Penetration
Safety Hazards
Inoperability (e.g. AC not working)

System Life Expectancy

You should also determine the age of major systems like the roof, windows, appliances, HVAC, and water heater prior to making your offer, and verify these are accurate during the inspection. Make sure you’re clear on the projected life expectancy of these systems while you’re negotiating the purchase price and factor this information into your offer. You’ll have a tough time convincing most sellers they’re on the hook for crediting you the cost of a 17-year-old water heater if that information was made available prior to your offer, assuming the system is working.

What Can You Ask For?

Negotiations can include all sorts of solutions, but most frequently the conversation is about whether a seller will handle the repairs or provide the buyer a credit (against closing costs) instead. Often times an inspection agreement includes both – a credit for some items and a request to fix/replace others. Sellers must use licensed contractors and provide works receipts for any work they do.

In general, if something you’re asking for involves personal preference or you want to have control over the quality of the result, it’s best to ask for a credit and handle it yourself. For example, if the deck is falling apart and needs to be replaced, you don’t want the seller managing the design and construction of a new deck so ask for a credit for the replacement cost and make sure you’re getting the deck you want.

Inspections Don’t Need To Be Contentious

Inspections are one of the most common points of contention between buyers and sellers, but with the right preparation and expectations going in, it can be a smooth process that both sides are happy with. Like the negotiations you had on the sale contract, the inspection period is also a negotiation that requires both parties to be understanding and reasonable to reach a win/win.

21Jun2017

How To Negotiate A Home Inspection

judson726 Buyer, Seller Home Inspection 0 Comment

Question: I just finished the home inspection for a single-family home I’m purchasing in South Arlington and there are about 40 items on it. Should I be nervous and consider walking away from the deal? What’s reasonable to expect from the seller?

Answer: Before you freak out about the list of issues the inspector found, I will say that for an older single family home, the number of items the inspector listed in the report is within the normal range of what I see. Unless you’re buying a new home, you should expect the inspection to turn up at least a handful of items that you or the seller should address.

What Is A Home Inspection?

Shortly after ratifying (signed by both parties) a contract to purchase a home, most buyers will (read: should) hire a third party inspector to inspect the entire home and produce a report of any issues, from foundation cracks to missing door stops.

In most cases, the contract to purchase is contingent on the home inspection, meaning the buyer has the right to ask the seller to fix or replace anything and/or provide a cash credit to the buyer at closing. If the buyer and seller are unable to come to an agreement on these requests, the buyer has the right to void the deal.

What Should You Look For?

The goal of an inspection is to ensure that the seller is delivering the property in the condition both sides expected while negotiating the sale price. Generally, you can divide findings into big-ticket items that impact the value of the home and must be addressed and smaller punch-list items that shouldn’t cause much friction. The big-ticket items I look for during an inspection are:

Structural flaws
Water penetration
Safety hazards
Inoperability (e.g. air conditioning not working)

System Life Expectancy

You should also determine the age of major systems like the roof, windows, HVAC and water heater prior to making your offer, and verify these are accurate during the inspection. Make sure you’re clear on the expected life expectancy of these systems while you’re negotiating the sales price and factor this information into your offer.

You’ll have a tough time convincing most sellers they’re on the hook for crediting you the cost of a 17-year-old water heater if that information was made available prior to your offer, assuming the system is working.

What Should You Ask For?

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll generally be deciding between asking the seller to handle the fix or replacement of something or asking for them to provide a credit at closing. Often times an inspection agreement includes both – a credit for some items and a request to fix/replace others. Sellers must use licensed contractors and provide works receipts for any work they do.

Additionally, if the A/C system needs to be replaced and the seller has a mid-grade system, but you’d like to install a top-of-the-line A/C system, it’s best to request a credit equal to the replacement cost for a comparable mid-grade system and invest in the extra cost of a nicer system yourself.