What to Do During Your Home Inspection Period

You have just gone into a contract on the purchase of a new home and you are in your typical ten to fifteen day inspection period. Naturally, you will hire a professional home inspector to inspect the home but there is much more than just that to check into during this period.

Take this time to spend some time in and around the neighborhood. Go there at various time of the day to see how quiet it is, how many children are in the area and to listen to traffic from streets, railroads and even airplanes. You don’t want to move into the home and find out that you are blasted out of bed at 5AM to a very loud sound of a nearby train crossing. These items should be noted on the seller disclosure but many times are left out and in today’s market where many foreclosed homes or shorts sales are commonplace you will not be getting those disclosures so you need to do your due diligence.

You will be receiving the Public Report and the CC&R’s if your new home is situated within a Home Owners Association. In Arizona, by contract, you have five days after receiving these documents to cancel the contract without any financial liabilities. If parking or changes to the exterior of the home are of concern to you be sure and read these documents carefully. You need to read them in all incidents although most people do not. The public report will identify nearby airports and other surroundings that may be a concern to you. Take the time to look up sex offender records and other demographics on the home most of which is easily found online.

If you are purchasing a bank owned home or the home you are purchasing needs some updating or you have plans to make any changes or additions this is a good time to start. The changes or repairs that you may be planning may be an expense higher than you anticipated so get a contractor for these modifications to the property during the inspection period so that you have realistic expectations on to the cost you may have going into the property after you close escrow.

Be sure and take measurements of rooms and where your furniture may be well placed, double check storage to be sure you have ample storage. Check into your nearby schools or places of worship as well as nearby shopping and freeway access. Make the drive from your new home to your workplace during the same hours as you would normally travel so that you know in advance what to expect and are comfortable with the travel time and distance.

Many of these items are not thought through when buying a home and after you move in is not the time to find out that you are in a home that just does not make sense for you and your needs. Use your inspection period to do all of your due diligence and ask your realtor for some advice on what other things you should be doing during this period.

By: Nancy Niblett