Ins and Outs of Home Inspections

BY PAMELA BABCOCK

Home inspections focus on structural and mechanical systems, including heating and airconditioning, plumbing, the roof, foundation and more. While home inspections are optional, paying for a neutral assessment is an important part of buying a home.

Mark Panetti, owner of Summit Professional Home Inspections in Marlton, has been inspecting homes since 2001.

I really like what I do,” said Panetti, who works primarily in Burlington and Camden counties. “I enjoy working with first-time buyers, and all buyers, by letting them know the condition of their home. I’m not just there to give them the bad news, I’m there to report all of the news—good and bad.

Most Realtors® and inspectors encourage potential buyers to attend the inspection. A few days after it’s complete, the inspector will produce a report with recommendations for home elements that should be repaired or replaced. It’s the buyer’s responsibility to hire and pay for a home inspector.

Becoming a licensed home inspector in New Jersey requires completing an approved course of study of 180 hours, which includes at least 40 hours of unpaid fieldbased training inspections under the supervision of a licensed home inspector. The applicant must then pass the national home inspector examination and carry errors and omissions insurance in the minimum of $500,000 per occurrence.

Aside from the standard inspection, buyers can also contract with others professionals to inspect for mold, termites and radon, as well do sweeps for underground fuel oil tanks. Well water, septic systems and stucco facades can also be tested. Meanwhile, some buyers opt for a sewer main inspection if the home is older and there are a lot of large trees whose roots could damage or block the line.

WHAT TO EXPECT

It’s important to note a home inspection is “a visual, functional, non-invasive inspection” of the home’s readily available systems and components done without moving personal property, furniture, equipment, plants, debris, and the like, as defined by the New Jersey Home Inspection Advisory Committee. Home inspectors don’t hack into a wall to see what’s behind it, nor do they disassemble the house and put it back together.

During inspections, I sometimes joke and say, ‘I have two limitations today. I cannot see through walls and I cannot predict the future,’” said Panetti.

Onsite residential inspections typically take about three hours and Panetti charges $450 to $550. In addition to being a licensed home inspector, his son Drew, who he brought into the business a few years ago, has a Remote (Drone) Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, which they use on inspections. Both are also certified to use infrared cameras to look for leaks, hotspots on electrical panels or other anomalies.

Home inspectors don’t tell you whether to buy the home or not.

We have no hidden or financial agenda. The heater works or it doesn’t. The roof leaks or it doesn’t. We simply report what we see,” said Panetti.

Home inspectors are a wealth of knowledge, especially for a first-time buyer. Buyers who attend inspections can learn how major items function, such as the gas boiler, and the location of the main water cutoff. A good inspector will not only make a discovery but equally important, offer the meaning or seriousness of that discovery.

You can’t just say ‘Hey, you have a crack in your foundation,’” said Panetti. “You have to say it’s either just a shrinkage tear in the concrete that occurred within the first 90 days and isn’t going to move anymore, or it’s a horizontal crack that has deflected the foundation caused by poor grading. One is of no significance and the other will cost about cost $15,000 to fix.

Panetti encourages buyers to tag along but asks they refrain from bringing a lot of friends and family.

Your home inspector has a one shot chance to inspect this property,” said Panetti. “And distractions have proven to be detrimental to the process.

TO WAIVE OR NOT

The sizzling housing market has caused many buyers to waive inspections, but Panetti said it’s a bad idea:

Waiving inspections is insane. I just personally wouldn’t buy a home without an inspection unless I was getting it at half price.

Marie Bagarozza, a Realtor® with EXIT Realty East Coast, said she typically encourages buyers to order an inspection but also to let the seller know they don’t plan to use it to “kill the deal” by including wording that the inspection is for structural, environmental, or safety issues only.

Home inspectors don’t tell you whether to buy the home or not.

We have no hidden or financial agenda. The heater works or it doesn’t. The roof leaks or it doesn’t. We simply report what we see,” said Panetti.

This still gives the buyers the protection in case there is something serious going on with the property,” said Bagarozza.

She adds that if the goal is winning the contract, finding out the seller’s “sore points” can help. For example, if they want to remain in the home after closing until they can close on another home, a lease-back concession may be a better option to waiving the inspection.

PRE-INSPECTIONS

Some sellers have their homes inspected before they list them. If certain defects are uncovered, sellers are legally required to notify and disclose known defects. However, buyers should still have their own inspection done and get their own report.

For those listing homes, Bagarroza recommends doing a pre-inspection so there are no surprises. Problems can be fixed in advance without a closing date looming. If something big arises such as a structural defect in the foundation and the seller can’t afford to take care of the issue, they can disclose it along with an approximate repair estimate cost.

The sale price of the property will usually be reflective of any issues,” said Bagarozza.