The Baton Rouge home inspection is an essential procedure many home buyers in this vibrant Louisiana city do not dare to miss. This is because the procedure involves an onsite assessment of the property offered on sale to determine if it has flaws and issues that could significantly influence the home’s selling price and the buyer’s decision whether to push the sale through or not.
Aside from that, the Baton Rouge home inspection has other significant aspects that homebuyers like you should know about, and the most important of these are the following:
1. Home inspection is a necessity.
Most Baton Rouge real estate experts strongly agree that the home inspection process is now considered necessary. Almost all individuals looking for homes for sale in Baton Rouge hire professional home inspectors to look into the houses they are interested in buying before closing the deal. They view the procedure as a must-do because it offers a long list of benefits that help them get the most out of the sale.
2. Home inspection requires the service of a professional.
Professional and licensed home inspectors handle the Baton Rouge home inspection procedures. Most buyers hire certified inspectors with solid working experience and well-established reputations in home inspection. Due to this, many homebuyers in Baton Rouge are getting the best housing options available in the market. Also, they have peace of mind knowing that the properties they buy are safe and very livable.
3. Home inspection lasts for hours.
The home inspection procedure in Baton Rouge usually lasts for hours. Typically, the inspector checks the home’s structural aspects, the heating and cooling systems, plumbing and electrical, and the water and sewage systems to ensure that these are functioning correctly. On top of that, the home’s fire, safety, and other issues that will significantly affect its value are assessed during the inspection.
4. Home inspection does not cover everything.
Contrary to the common notion, the Baton Rouge home inspection does not cover the assessment of every aspect of a home. In reality, a typical home inspection covers the following.
- Exterior – A home inspector checks the home’s exterior to find potential issues such as damage on the roof, cracks in walls, or missing siding. Also, the inspector inspects the foundation when it’s visible.
- Interior – The inspector looks around for potential damages/issues inside the house, such as on walls, windows, cabinets, and other visible aspects.
- Electrical – The electrical features of a home, such as the outlets, switches, and panel boards, are checked by an inspector. This ensures that such features work well and are free from performance issues.
- Plumbing – The home inspector usually checks for potential issues in the home’s plumbing system. This involves checking the exposed pipes for possible damage, faucets and shower heads for leaks, and toilet leaks.
- Air – The inspection also includes checking the home’s HVAC system to ensure it is in good working condition.
- Fire Safety – The typical Baton Rouge home inspection also involves checking the home’s fire safety features, such as the smoke detectors. Also, the inspector conducts an assessment to determine the home’s potential fire hazard.
Some of the home’s features, such as landscaping, pool, and septic tank, are not usually included in the inspection as these require hiring the service of a specialized expert.
5. A house can fail during inspection.
A house inspection does not always end up well. In most cases, the inspector discovers various issues, especially the following.
- Electrical – A home inspector can spot issues such as non-functioning electrical devices and consider this a failure.
- Plumbing – The leaks, sewers, and non-functioning faucets can merit a failure in the home inspection.
- Roof – Roofing issues, such as a few missing shingles, are pretty common in houses, and this can cause the inspection to fail.
- Pests – Most houses are infested with pests, which merits a failure in the home inspection report. Typically, the presence of termites and vermin is regarded as a serious house inspection issue.
Finding issues during the inspection is often viewed as beneficial to both the seller and the buyer. The discovery allows the seller to have the problems fixed to maintain the property’s selling price. On the other hand, the buyer can use the findings as leverage to request a price reduction or a basis to walk away from the purchase.
6. The home inspection means additional expense.
The Baton Rouge home inspection involves hiring a professional, licensed, and certified home inspector. As such, it involves paying for the inspector’s professional fee. Also, the cost involved is shouldered by the buyers as this aids them in deciding whether to move forward with the purchase. It is best to consider the inspection cost when creating the homebuying budget.
Despite the added cost, you should have the home you’re interested in buying inspected by a professional, as it saves you from incurring unexpected expenses due to some undiscovered issues in the property that might require major repairs in the future.
7. Home Inspection Report is an Essential Tool
The home inspection report that the inspector creates after the home assessment is an essential tool that you can use in negotiating with the seller. The report contains all the inspector’s findings, and discovering major issues that are not visible to the untrained eyes can help you make an informed decision. On top of that, you can use the information in the report as a basis for not pushing through with the homebuying deal.
Conclusion
Although the Baton Rouge home inspection requires additional expenses and might consume a large chunk of your budget, many real estate professionals strongly recommend that you go through the process. This is because the inspection offers a long list of benefits to help you get the best out of the purchase.
However, it is best to hire a reliable inspector to maximize the benefits gained from the home inspection. Hiring a reputable Baton Rouge realtor like the Nicole Spellman Group is also helpful. They can provide the needed assistance in meeting the inspector, which will work to your advantage.
