Inspections while purchasing a home:
- Building Inspection: The building inspection is the first course of action once the seller and buyer have agreed on a price and signed the Purchase and Sale Contract. The building inspector will examine the home and identify any potential safety hazards or defects in the home. Keep in mind, the inspector will call out very minor defects as well as major defects, if they exist. With the agent’s guidance, they will help you determine which components is basic building maintenance and which ones need to be addressed. All repair requests for problems found in the inspection must be addressed in writing with an addendum and signed by both parties to be made official and enforceable.
- Radon Testing: Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas that is linked with causing lung cancer. If the test comes back with a result of4 pc/l or higher, mitigation is highly recommended. For more information about radon use the links listed below. http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html http://www.radon.com/radon/radon_facts.html
- Water testing :As part of the mortgage process, most lenders will require water testing as part of the approval process to obtain a mortgage. Depending on the lender, basic coliform bacteria may be required. More advanced testing may include heavy metal testing.
Additional inspections may be advised if necessary such as mold, chimney, advanced septic inspection, and structural inspections if additional problems become evident.