You did it… you purchased a home without an inspection. What now you may be asking yourself? Well its time to figure out what you purchased. Although waiving inspections is never recommended I know it happens. Low supply of homes and tons of buyers make for a very competitive market. A recent article I read mentions a few markets where about 30% of accepted offers waived the inspection contingency. Here in Grand Rapids it sounds like that number is higher, especially for homes under $350,000.
Even though it may seem a bit backwards since you own the home you still want to get an inspection. There are a few main reasons why an inspection is still highly recommended.
1- Education. A home inspection is a great opportunity for you to learn about houses in general and specifically about your home. During a home inspection you will learn where your water, gas and electric shutoffs are, how to operate them, as well as general maintenance tips and can ask any house related question.
2- Information. You just spent a lot of money on your house if there are big issues that you did not know about you are going to want to find them ASAP and have them taken care of. One example would be extensive mold in the attic. This is something that can go unnoticed unless someone physically climbs up into the attic.
3- Prevention. A lot of times there are small-moderate issues that if not addressed can turn into big issues down the road. A leaky toilet for example can be easily fixed in most cases with a new wax ring. If it goes unnoticed however it can cause damage to the bathroom flooring and floor structure that can become a huge headache down the road.
4. Planning. One of the benefits of an inspection is that it will make you aware of any appliances or systems that are older and may need to be replaces in the near future. Knowing you have about 5 years left on your roof gives you time to start saving up now and avoid a huge surprise down the road.
The downside of this process is that anything found during the inspection will be yours to take care of, that being said it is still best to figure out the current condition of your home, make any necessary repairs and plan for the future. I would love to have the opportunity to inspect your home, feel free to reach out for more details or to schedule online!
Click here to schedule an inspection online!
Danny Geurink, CMI
Your Local Grand Rapids Home Inspector
