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Inspections and Contingencies
Guide to
Whole House Inspections
Generally,
a whole house inspection is intended to disclose any major defect that
might materially affect the property, not minor routine maintenance
and repair items. The inspection is in no way a guarantee or warranty
and does not replace homeowners warranty insurance.
The
following items are areas that the inspector routinely examines:
 | Appearance
of home from outside: Sidewalk, driveway, brick, wood siding,
chimney, foundation, grading around the home, roof, down spouts and
gutters, windows and trim |
| Entire house:
Random electrical outlets, doors, random windows, walls, floors,
ceilings, heat vents, fireplaces |
| Basement:
Floor, foundation walls, electrical panel box, sub-flooring, support
beams and support joists, plumbing, heating, water heater, air-conditioning
(except in winter months) |
| Kitchen and
bathrooms: Kitchen appliances such as range, refrigerator, dishwasher,
disposal, water pressure, drain pipes, toilets, sinks, cabinets, fans,
shower, bath tub |
| Attic: Insulation,
roof supports, vents |
| Garage: Walls,
floors, garage door, automatic garage door opener, fire safety |
Items generally
not inspected:
| Security systems,
pools, pool equipment, hot tub, radon, asbestos, lead, indications
of wood destroying insects |
The inspector will
ask the person paying for the inspection to sign an agreement before
proceeding. Payment for the inspection is usually due at the time of
inspection.
Most inspectors
will prefer that the buyer (if they are paying for the inspection) be
present. It is not necessary for the sellers to accompany the inspector
throughout the house; however, they may if they so choose. The Realtor
may be present. Some inspectors may inspect items not included in this
guide. A written report will be provided to the person paying for the
inspection. You may wish to have additional items inspected that are
not included in the whole house inspection.
Recommendations
from people who have had satisfactory experiences with inspectors in
the past is one method of selecting a firm. If you must select at random,
check the Yellow Pages under Building Inspection Services. Further,
check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints
have been filed against any company that your are considering.
These suggestions
are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a prerequisite
to the inspection. Information obtained from the Cincinnati Area Board
of Realtors.
Contingencies
Buyers and Sellers
will typically outline conditions of sale in a contract to purchase.
The sales will be contingent on certain terms or events. It is critical
that these intentions are communicated clearly and concisely in writing.
The contingency itself should specify what will happen and when it will
happen. The contingency must also provide for the contract to be canceled
or renegotiated and for earnest money distribution, in the event the
contingency can not be satisfied. Contingencies should be written and
reviewed with great care. The following areas are often incorporated
into purchase contracts as contingencies.
| Financing; type
of financing, interest rate, amount financed, and number of years
for amortization |
| Whole House
Inspection |
| Limited Inspections
ex. Structure, Roof, Mechanics, Electric, Plumbing |
| Termite and
Wood Destroying Insect Inspection |
| Sale of Present
Home |
| Survey |
| Verifying Zoning,
Covenants and or Restrictions |
| Sale of Present
Home |
The
Expertise of a AMERICAN REAL ESTATE Sales Associate always provides valuable
assistance.
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