Home Inspection And Appraisal

What you need to know

A home inspection is designed to give a buyer a better understanding of the systems and overall condition of the home they are purchasing. There may be items that the buyer will ask to have repaired. These can all be negotiated, and we will help you with perspective in this area.

Whole House Home Inspection

A home inspection covers the major systems of the property:

• Exterior, porch, and deck • Foundations and walls • Chimneys and roof • Windows, doors, and attics • Electrical components and plumbing • Central heating and air conditioning • Basement/crawlspace and garage

Radon

Radon is a naturally occurring gas found in many areas of the Portland Metro area. If levels are over a certain amount, mitigation is advised.

Sewer Scope

A sewer scope inspection checks the sewer lines to make sure there are no problems with tree roots, pooling, cracks, holes, or pipe separation.

Additional inspections

Depending on the property, the buyer may decide additional inspections are warranted. These can include roof, mold, oil tank location, well tests, foundation, and others. Buyer inspections should not be invasive, and should not damage the house.

Appraisal

Once the negotiations for the inspection are complete and agreed upon, the buyer’s lender will order an appraisal. The property must appraise for the purchase price for the lender to approve the loan. If the house doesn’t appraise for the purchase price, buyer and seller can renegotiate the price, split the difference, or the buyer can bring in an additional amount of money to cover the shortfall.