A Home Inspection is Vital Before Buying a Resale House
Hire a professional to assess structure and discover problems ahead of time
Buying a home is one of the most expensive and important decisions you will ever make.
But unlike most other major purchases, when it comes to buying a house, there are no return policies or money-back guarantees.
A professional home inspector can help you find out as much as possible about a home’s condition, livability and safety before you sign on the dotted line.
To help you make more informed decisions — and keep unpleasant surprises to a minimum — the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation offers several tips for finding and selecting a qualified home inspector, including:
* Ask friends or family members who have recently purchased a home for a recommendation.
Check association websites, the Yellow Pages and housing trade magazines to find a home inspector in your area who meets national certification standards.
These national standards of competency were developed by the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. Visit http://www.cahpi.ca to learn more.
* Make sure the home inspector you choose is an experienced, full-time inspector, not just a renovator or contractor with an inspection business on the side.
Nationally, the average cost of a pre-purchase home inspection is about $350.
* Look for inspectors who belong to a provincial association, and who have successfully completed their association’s certification process.
* Ask for three references of past customers, and then call to ask them whether they were satisfied with the service they received.
* Choose only home inspectors who are not associated with any other construction or housing trade, and who do not carry out any repairs or improvements themselves.
* Make sure the home inspector does not solicit, receive or give referral fees.
* Ensure that the inspection is carried out during the day, as night-time inspections may miss vital components of the exterior of the house.
* Find out where you can get more information about the inspector and his or her firm, such as the firm’s website address or industry association.
* Ask what you will receive once the inspection is complete, and when you can expect to receive it.
A professional home inspector should provide a written report reviewing every major system and component in the home within about 24 hours of completing the inspection.
For more information or a free copy of the About Your House fact sheet, Hiring a Home Inspector or other fact sheets on virtually every facet of owning, maintaining or renovating your home, call the CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 or visit the website at http://www.cmhc.ca.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information
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