Busted! Don’t Believe These Home Inspection Myths!

Whether you are a buyer or seller, a home inspection is a worthy investment as it helps you make a more informed decision. As a buyer, a home inspection will give you details about your potential house so that you know exactly what you are getting into and can avoid surprises in the future. Similarly, for sellers, a home inspection will educate you about the condition of a house which will give you the upper hand when setting a price for your property.

Unfortunately, due to the prevalence of several myths and misconceptions about home inspection and the role of a home inspector, many homebuyers have unrealistic expectations of an inspection. To help separate fact from fiction, SETX Home Inspections has debunked three of the most widely believed myths about home inspections and home inspectors.

Myth 1: A home inspection is the same as a home appraisal.

The job of the home inspector is to evaluate the safety of the home and identify potential issues, whereas an appraiser evaluates the house to determine its worth. An inspector will typically spend anywhere between two to three hours on site for a typical 1500 to 2500 sq ft. house while an appraiser spends an hour or less. In Texas, a home inspector is required to give an opinion on every major aspect and the component of the house which requires operating, inspecting, testing, etc., whereas an appraiser does not check every fixture or component but appraises the items that make up a home.

Myth 2: A home inspector will tell you if the house is worth buying.

Home inspectors are not supposed to be biased; they are supposed to evaluate and report on each component to determine if they are functioning as designed or if they are exhibiting signs of failure or nearing the end of their service life. A home inspector should not influence your decision to buy or not buy a house. They are there to report any deficiencies as required by the TREC standards of practice. Also, your risk profile differs from other home inspectors; how can they possibly understand your financial disposition and the amount you can undertake when buying a house?

Myth 3: A home inspection will help negotiate the price.

The home inspection process is meant to ensure the house is safe to live in and all its components operate as expected. If the house is older and needs remodeling, your offer to purchase should consider that. It should be negotiated as part of the contract before the inspection. That’s not to say that if the inspector finds something unexpected, it can’t be discussed or isn’t negotiable, but that should be the exception, not the norm for the real estate transaction. The seller isn’t required to make any repair or concession based on the inspection so be prepared to accept the home ‘as-is’ or be ready to cancel the contract if the seller or the house doesn’t meet your expectations.

If you’re looking to steer clear of these and other myths, reach out to the experts at SETX Home Inspections. We offer a wide range of inspection services to home buyers and sellers to help them determine the performance of their potential home by finding pre-existing problems. We render our professional home inspection services to clients across Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, China, Nederlands, Lumberton, Silsbee, Buna, Hamshire, Winnie, Sour Lake, Vidor, Mauriceville, Deweyville, and the surrounding areas.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about SETX Home Inspections, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.