Many new home purchasers ordinarily forget to do a home inspection prior to buying a home. It is crucial for home buyers to carry out a home assessment.

A professional home inspector will charge you from 250$ to 600$. The charges vary depending on the size, and the age of the house to be inspected.

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Generally, a home inspector will report on the air-conditioning system, electrical system, drainage, ceiling, roofing, wall, plumbing, flooring and the basement of the house.

Here are six reasons why it’s essential to conduct a home inspection prior to buying a house:

1. Defects

The assessment will help you identify any defects on the property such as cracks, leaking taps, broken sockets, faulty windows, pest and insect issues, plumbing and electrical issues and many more issues.

If you identify defects, request the landlord to repair the defective areas before you buy the house.

However, if the landlord is not able to do the repairs, request the landlord to review the price of the home downwards, by subtracting the costs of the fixes from the price of the home. If the landlord agrees to such an arrangement, then use the amount of money subtracted from the price to carry out the repairs.

2. Helps you see what you are buying.

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The owner of the house may have described the home to you, but you still need to visit the house to see what you are buying.

During the home assessment, you will inspect the living room, the kitchen, the pantry, the bedrooms, the guest room, the bathroom, the laundry area, the garage, and the compound to assure yourself of what you are buying.

3. Expert opinion.

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The owner of the house will most likely revamp the home so that no defects are visible to the eyes of a layperson.

To avoid such pitfalls, we advise that you hire a home inspector who will assist you identify any electrical, plumbing and pest issues in the home.

Still, do not rely solely on the expert, walk around the home keenly analyzing it for any flaws as you, too, could find some defects that the expert may have missed or overlooked.

4. Saves you money.

If you buy a home without carrying out a professional home inspection then you later learn that the house has various defects, you cannot turn to the person who sold you the place and ask them to repair the damaged areas.

In such a case, you bear the cost of the repairs yourself, and this can be very costly depending on the repairs needed. Undoubtedly, a home assessment saves you cash.

5. To negotiate a lower price.

Further it will assist you to gather useful information which you can rely on to request for a lesser price. For instance, if there are defects on the house, you can ask the owner of the home to sell the house to you at a lower price as the house has some flaws.

Similarly, if you discover that size of the home is smaller in comparison to the size indicated by the landlord, you can use that information to request for lower price.

6. Predicts future expenses.

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Purchasing a home is an expensive venture. Therefore, it is vital for you to identify any future expenses that you may be required to foot in the future.

An inspector could discover that though the roofing is not defective now, it may require to be re-done in a few years after you have bought the house. Other areas that may be nearing their life expectancy include the air-conditioning appliances, electrical wires, the drainage system and the flooring.

Danny Margagliano is a realtor in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida with 30a Local Properties.  He is an avid blogger on his website Destin Property Expert.  He has been a real estate agent since 2009. When Danny is not selling real estate you can find him with his family enjoying the beautiful beaches and the Gulf of Mexico near his home.