Man, we unleashed an army of specialists on our house. We got a structural engineer to specifically inspect the foundation of the house since we’re in Los Angeles and earthquakes can damage homes. We got a plumber to put a camera into the pipes to check for any potential clogs. We had a pest control guy check for any termites or vermin. We got a landscaper to look at the lawn setup to troubleshoot for any issues with the greenery. We got a chimney specialist to make sure we wouldn’t burn the house down if we ever decided to light up the stack. The house passed with flying colors, but there was a bunch of ivy on the side of the house that the landscaper recommended we get rid of ASAP to prevent damage. Don’t skimp on the inspections. We paid a pretty penny for those inspections, but it was worth it for piece of mind. You pay a little now or you’ll pay a helluva lot later.
I just finished my home inspection course. i live in toronto canada. i have trouble finding a hands on mentor because of covid my whole course was online. all the home inspectors dont want to mentor me and my newly graduated class because i believe they think we would be future competition. do you have any advice ? also what report writing softwear do you believe is the best to use. they are pushing horizon on us becasue we went to Carson Dunlop.
Check flood zones, water tables, new developments which can and will change drainage areas etc. Always get a quality home inspection..its the most money you will probably ever spend :)
As a home inspector I have reiterated the same information and was then reminded that I am not a realtor. True that I probably was out of bounds but on point.
Working with older homes in the city, we used to hate when buyers chose an inspector who wasn't accustomed to older homes. Holding a 100 year old home to 10 year old standards can really mislead the buyers & make them feel insecure.
My area is so hot, I have to waive all inspection/repairs for my house. Houses turn in less than a week so its a challenge to get a pre-inspection on a weekend.
I'm trying to start the buying process next year, i found your channel and literally cannot stop watching. I feel like im going to be a real estate expert by the time next year comes around so thank you!
You give out so much information. Your not just blabbering away. You keep simple and easy to understand what your saying. Thanks for helping the little guys!
These are all really good points. If people take One thing away from this video it's about the inspection fee, dont go cheap. The fee is a fractional percentage of the homes cost and for a few hundred dollars it may save you 1000's down the road.
Thanks, Matt. These videos have been super helpful. We just backed out of a great house after finding some risky septic issues. $1k in inspection fees later, it’s a bummer but the inspections did what they were supposed to do I suppose. Thanks again, man!
Can I ask what was found? We are in contract with a house whose septic tank failed and is being reported to the town. I am actually not troubled by that because they have to fix it to the standards of the town before they can sell the house.
@@TheMattLeighton It went well! I like your recommendation of asking for credits vs. repairs, especially since our closing date is rapidly approaching (08 Oct), and we would want to make sure everything is done right and to our standards!
@@TheMattLeighton So I do have a follow-up question for you. The house we are buying is only 15 years old; from the quality that everything was done in the construction of the house, the inspector thought it was odd that 2 of the outlets were ungrounded, and put it as a 'repair' item in our report. We were planning on asking for a credit from the seller to fix everything, however we don't know how to estimate the cost of this repair, in the event it turns into a major problem and requires serious rewiring. What would you suggest we do in this case?
@@stephanieriley3227 Good question! I would ask for about $500 in lieu of repairs to fix those 2 outlets. If they balk at that, just ask them to fix the two outlets and then do a walkthrough once the work has been completed. Ungrounded outlets are fairly common
Matt, the one comment I would make regarding researching your home inspector is that your preference for a large inspection company certainly comes with a major liability. Sure, it's convenient for the agent to just call the same scheduler to whom they have grown accustomed to having their clients overpay, but having an inspector that is paid hourly or by the job working for someone else disincentivizes a thorough inspection. You are certainly aware that SOP doesn't require an inspector to open a dead front on an electrical panel, for example, and if an inspector that doesn't care about repeat business (like an employee of a larger company) is conducting the inspection, they are far less likely to extend themselves beyond SOP to do that. Repeat that times a hundred opportunities to really try to impress a client beyond the limitations of the SOP (fences, attics without floors, crawlspaces with less-than-optimal clearance, etc), and you begin to see the value of a dedicated independent inspector. Just wanted to make sure you placed your clients' best interests ahead of your need to churn through just another deal at top speed. Keep up the good work!
In my experience the quality of inspectors isn't necessarily about whether they are the owner of their company or not, although I appreciate your comment as an independent inspector 😁
Super helpful! We’re looking into our inspector for the camp we’re looking to purchase and were feeling a little intense bringing in a log cabin specialist, but this makes me feel so much better about the decision! Great, informative video!
Thanks, Matt. Been watching your videos for the past few weeks, and it's really opened my eyes and educated me about this whole process. Phew, taxing. Anyway, hope to continue seeing these home buying tip videos--probably going to purchase something within the next year.
Three years down the line, things break. That's what home ownership means. First Time home buyers think that they are entitled because they are so used to calling maintenance. They need to realize that things break. And they need to learn to take responsibility to fix it, because it is their responsibility. Last November my water bill went way up. There was a leak in the pipe between the meter and the house. No way that an inspector can find that. I had to get a leak finder service and a plumber to fix it. It wasn't much, just $700.
as a home inspector, #4 is the worst. i've done over 300 homes and NEVER and i mean NEVER has a buyer found something that I didn't find first. is it a bad tip? not at all, it's just an irritating one to be followed as it LITERALLY slows me down answering all the paranoid questions. doesn't happen often, but still.
Matt very helpful video can you also please mention what are big ticketed items? Also plumbing and other stuff like efficiency of heating or cooling systems and insulation which is not covered in home inspection you recommend to get these done when you are buying a home from early 1990s
This is helpful! I'm having the inspection done today on a home I'm under contract on. I'm nervous. Roof and windows were replaced 5 years ago but I'm hoping there's no major systems failure
Can you elaborate more on what are the most important safety issues can be to look for such as asbestos of hvac leaks or clogges or possibly sewer line issues
Why get a chimney specialist unless the fireplace had been used. The inspectors said to check the chimney in my house, but I rarely used the fireplace, so what is the point? Again, consult the owner.
Matt, is the seller credit in lieu of a discounted sales price on the house transaction for repair compensation so that the realtor's commission is not impaired/reduced?
Not only follow them around but do your own inspection example is my inspector missed that there were no screens on the windows a lot of them were missing and that was not cheap to replace those so I was not made aware of it until after the fact or they just didn’t tell me because maybe the sellers didn’t have the money to replace them and sometimes the inspectors works very close with your real estate agent so be careful there also if you know what I mean because they do want that transaction to go through.....You need to do your own homework and read up on issues that are important and observe closely!!
I don't believe you should follow the inspector around. Let the inspector do his/her job and in the end, the inspector will answer all the questions you might have. Following the inspector around might cost him to not be focused and overlook something.
I agree, when the buyer follows me around I find myself getting distracted by their questions and sometimes it completely throws off my inspection routine.
This probably really late to ask since this video is about a year old but can you record the home inspection? And can you also do multiple inspections if you feel your first inspector’s quality was low? Great informational video.
At 4:32 minutes (mistake #4) you mention following the inspector around like a puppy dog "During" the inspection. That is NEVER a good idea because it will slow the inspector down and the distraction may cause them to miss something vital. The correct time to follow an inspector around is "After" the inspection has been completed. The inspector should do what is called "A walk around" where they then walk you around the property and point out what they have found and what the recommendation may be. Aside from that discrepancy, it is factual that a buyer should want to ask the inspector questions on the who's, what's, why's, when's and where's of the house. Some good information though.
The mistake is to use a home inspector. The buyers should do everything that the inspector does before making an offer. They should check the water, drips, leaks, walls, electricity, etc. The buyers should live in it for a while. And a mistake is to think that it is the seller's responsibility to fix or credit them. It is the buyer's responsibility to fix anything after the sale.
@@TheMattLeighton Lord willing May thy properties ye sell be ever bountiful, and thy clients always kind. keep up the good work! And by all means feel free to post more nitty gritty workings of real estate videos, stuff like this is fascinating.
Hovering over your home inspector the entire time is a great way to ensure that he misses something important while trying to entertain you. If you want to be at the inspection, ask the inspector when he'll be wrapping up and come at the end. He can walk you through and point out major defects. Otherwise, wait until you get your report, and if there's anything that you want clarification on, call and ask him. Being up the inspectors ass the entire time and asking a thousand questions is redundant and problematic, especially when you're paying for a report.
Home inspectors walk a tightrope. If the inspector finds a small or medium defect and informs the buyer and the buyer busts the deal on that info, the seller may sue the inspector because the deal was busted. However, if the inspector doesn't mention a small to medium defect to the buyer, the buyer may sue the inspector at a later date when the defect is discovered. Thus, the inspector may mention only a major defect and overlook the small to medium stuff.
I think my realtor is just trying to close the deal. There were vertical cracks in the basement walls. I asked for a structural engineer to get a second opinion. My realtor found a guy but after looking him up it shows a home remodeling LLC. He has nothing listing him as a structural engineer. She says the sellers can sue me if I walk away.
I a real estate agent and my dad is a home inspector. He’s been one for the past 10 years. We are both ethical and he gets a ton of business. But I don’t recommend him to clients for liability purposes.
Hi I need to know when buying a new home from a builder will there be bidding wars or not. Several ppl told me there is never a bidding war purchasing thru a builder. Plz reply
But sometimes there are certain things that must be repaired before you move in .....because that happened to me and it would’ve called the deal off it was a dealbreaker ....let’s say
That's right, you can get both! I know I may have talked in "absolutes" when it comes to one or the other in regards to credits or repairs. Go for the credits, sometimes you'll end up with repairs, sometimes both!
I use live in this house with my boyfriend and he lost his house it was his Mom house. She passed away now it’s up for sale. I wanna buy it now. So what if during a inspection there is a big issue, Do I back out?
All spot on and sound advice One point of critique, While It's good for a client to engage and interact during the inspection process, I do not recommend "following o the inspectors heels like a puppy dog". That will distract the inspector and cause them to possibly miss subtle clues of problems. Good inspectors need to have all senses laser focused on each and every item they are examining. Buyers do not need to understand what a good inspector is doing, they just need to understand the results and potential implications.
I'm not an inspector but I thought something similar. Certainly one wants to be present and attentive to what the inspector is checking, but I think it would be better to be present, focused on what the inspector is doing, and make notes of any questions to ask him/her after they finish up at the property so as not to disrupt their focus. A buyer must keep in mind that not every inspector is going to do a thorough job, so they must be present to make sure the job is done thoroughly, but also respect the inspectors work space and professional opinion (which is why they were hired in the first place). It would be a wonderful world if we could hire people and they would actually do what they were supposed to do when no one is looking (which is how I am), but in 52 years on this planet I now recognize that is more the exception rather than the rule.
Not need to know??? That's a lot of money at stake! I want to know that I need to check those bolts every 6 months rather than wait for the damage. I want to be told that the water heater should be checked at the top and the bottom for condensation and that a cheap water sensor could alert me before my house floods. I recommend following the inspector quietly and back a few feet. Whether you ask questions at the end of each section or at the end of the inspection should be discussed before they are hired. But if an inspector does not want me to follow them, I would not hire them!
My advice is to not use an inspector but to talk to the owner to get the history of the house. An inspector does not know the history of the house and why things have been done or not done by the owner.
If only this came out 2 weeks ago 🤣 our realtor asked for repairs and clearances from the companies. we needed $900 roof repairs and $4k section 1 work. he added clearance for both those items to our addendum.
Some good advice here, but as a home inspector it is not a good idea for the client to follow on the heels of the inspector. It’s easy to get distracted in conversation then you have to drive back out to the home because you were distracted. That’s the point of the FINAL WALK THROUGH! All questions should be saved for then.
My husband bought a house at 19 and didn't go to the house when the home inspection was happening. Five years later a cat jumps on the roof and falls through the ceiling. The whole living room was destroyed.
Talk to your lender. You shouldn't have to bring additional funds to pay for closing costs. Your lender will provide an Alta Statement/Closing Disclosure that will show the amount of closing costs that you owe and the Closing Disclosure will note a credit in the amount of the closing costs that are owed
As a home inspector, do not allow the buyer to follow me around they distract you and good chance of missing something. Plus home inspector is liable for anyone in the home and your client goes into another room and steals something. Most inspectors have the buyer come at the end where you walk them through all the deficiencies I have found.
How can there be such a discrepancy between your position on this and the advice so often given by real estate agents? I’m not implying that you are wrong or right, but it makes it very confusing to understand what are the rights and responsibilities of the buyer when it comes to attending the home inspection or how involved they ought to be, or are able to be, while inspection is occurring. I would never think of looking over their shoulder for the whole inspection, or distracting them with a constant stream of questions, but I definitely feel like i would understand and retain the information better if it were at least partially explained to me while going through the house. Would the inspector go through everything thoroughly with me while walking through the house, or is he just going to run through it verbally? I don’t process and retain verbal information well when it’s unfamiliar territory, and I’m a first-time home buyer. I guess maybe this is something to ask the individual inspector(s) before hiring them?
@@Danielle-nz9tn Do you stand over the surgeon over the surgeon while he operates on your child or do you ask the pilot what he is doing when he is on final approach and expect them to not get distracted. It’s your inspection and if you are that insistent (and foolish) walk through with the inspector and see how you get them out of their rhythm. Also the home inspector is liable for your actions; I had one guy who went in the attic ON HIS OWN and walking across ceiling joists and about fell through the ceiling. Another owner left and ripped into me since the potential buyer was walking through their home unaccompanied and she was watching and listening to everything said by every inspector. If you trust your Realtor then you better have a Realtor that has ethics and not out for their commission, otherwise you don’t have a clue how the real estate “game” works.
If i'm looking at a condo, and the HOA is very tight at keeping things well-maintained, do I really need an inspector that might cost me $500+ or should I just do the inspection myself? I'm fairly handy and have high attention to detail.
ALWAYS ALWAYS GET AN INSPECTION! I would never buy a home without one. That is pure folly and road to financial ruin. You don't want to live the film The Money Pit in real life. Excellent tips and advice!
I would like to share some useful resources with fellow home buyers. Redfin.com: have most listings for West of U.S., and they have a great UI. HousesInsider.com: risk related factors information about house, natural hazards, social hazards like meth lab, radon, stigmatized events, nearby demographics, homeless, sex offenders, etc. Zillow.com: have renter properties on it, similar to Redfin, but I like Redfin UI more. Trulia.com: nearby amenities like restaurants, gym, crime rating map. Government websites: for querying the properties transaction history, tax history, title records, etc. Finding an agent: ask recommendations from your social circle, and talk with each of them and then asking questions, and then pick the ones you feel good about. It is not easy, requires efforts, but with above websites, I can do much of it online and before I go onsite for touring open house and skip ones that have factors that I don’t like or don’t have the factors I like, so I can save my time.
Man, we unleashed an army of specialists on our house. We got a structural engineer to specifically inspect the foundation of the house since we’re in Los Angeles and earthquakes can damage homes. We got a plumber to put a camera into the pipes to check for any potential clogs. We had a pest control guy check for any termites or vermin. We got a landscaper to look at the lawn setup to troubleshoot for any issues with the greenery. We got a chimney specialist to make sure we wouldn’t burn the house down if we ever decided to light up the stack.
The house passed with flying colors, but there was a bunch of ivy on the side of the house that the landscaper recommended we get rid of ASAP to prevent damage.
Don’t skimp on the inspections. We paid a pretty penny for those inspections, but it was worth it for piece of mind. You pay a little now or you’ll pay a helluva lot later.
As a Realtor, I wish that homeowners would do their due diligence. I applaud you!
How much was the price for everything
Did you just hire a random plumber?
Why? What was the point of all of those inspections? Inspectors don't fix anything.
I say the buyers should do the inspections themselves.
As a home inspector, I thought this was a very good video.
Thanks Victor
I just finished my home inspection course. i live in toronto canada. i have trouble finding a hands on mentor because of covid my whole course was online. all the home inspectors dont want to mentor me and my newly graduated class because i believe they think we would be future competition. do you have any advice ? also what report writing softwear do you believe is the best to use. they are pushing horizon on us becasue we went to Carson Dunlop.
Question what are the best certifications for an inspector to have?
Check flood zones, water tables, new developments which can and will change drainage areas etc. Always get a quality home inspection..its the most money you will probably ever spend :)
Please clarify what you mean by check the "water table".
As a home inspector I have reiterated the same information and was then reminded that I am not a realtor. True that I probably was out of bounds but on point.
Just want to say I appreciate you wearing a tie and suite. It says a lot on your part and putting in effort for this video.
Thank you!
Working with older homes in the city, we used to hate when buyers chose an inspector who wasn't accustomed to older homes. Holding a 100 year old home to 10 year old standards can really mislead the buyers & make them feel insecure.
It is all how the inspector speaks for the house. Some inspectors don't have a good bedside manor.
My area is so hot, I have to waive all inspection/repairs for my house. Houses turn in less than a week so its a challenge to get a pre-inspection on a weekend.
I'm trying to start the buying process next year, i found your channel and literally cannot stop watching. I feel like im going to be a real estate expert by the time next year comes around so thank you!
You're welcome! Thank you so much for watching!
You give out so much information. Your not just blabbering away. You keep simple and easy to understand what your saying. Thanks for helping the little guys!
Our 1st inspection was horrid. 14 red finds and 33 orange. Just w redoing electric it would of came out to 20,000 plus. We pulled out
Great thumbs up
I would NEVER skip a home inspection. I heard a story about people who skipped having a bug inspection.
Post buy -termites found!
If the inspector finds bug, you still have to get rid of them.
These are all really good points. If people take One thing away from this video it's about the inspection fee, dont go cheap. The fee is a fractional percentage of the homes cost and for a few hundred dollars it may save you 1000's down the road.
Thanks, Matt. These videos have been super helpful. We just backed out of a great house after finding some risky septic issues. $1k in inspection fees later, it’s a bummer but the inspections did what they were supposed to do I suppose. Thanks again, man!
Thanks for watching, Scott!
Better to eat that $1,000 than to wake up one day and it’s raining feces in your yard.
Can I ask what was found? We are in contract with a house whose septic tank failed and is being reported to the town. I am actually not troubled by that because they have to fix it to the standards of the town before they can sell the house.
Perfect timing! We literally just got done with our first ever home inspection. 🙂
Good to hear! How did it go?
@@TheMattLeighton It went well! I like your recommendation of asking for credits vs. repairs, especially since our closing date is rapidly approaching (08 Oct), and we would want to make sure everything is done right and to our standards!
@@stephanieriley3227 great to hear!
@@TheMattLeighton So I do have a follow-up question for you. The house we are buying is only 15 years old; from the quality that everything was done in the construction of the house, the inspector thought it was odd that 2 of the outlets were ungrounded, and put it as a 'repair' item in our report. We were planning on asking for a credit from the seller to fix everything, however we don't know how to estimate the cost of this repair, in the event it turns into a major problem and requires serious rewiring. What would you suggest we do in this case?
@@stephanieriley3227 Good question! I would ask for about $500 in lieu of repairs to fix those 2 outlets. If they balk at that, just ask them to fix the two outlets and then do a walkthrough once the work has been completed. Ungrounded outlets are fairly common
Matt, the one comment I would make regarding researching your home inspector is that your preference for a large inspection company certainly comes with a major liability. Sure, it's convenient for the agent to just call the same scheduler to whom they have grown accustomed to having their clients overpay, but having an inspector that is paid hourly or by the job working for someone else disincentivizes a thorough inspection. You are certainly aware that SOP doesn't require an inspector to open a dead front on an electrical panel, for example, and if an inspector that doesn't care about repeat business (like an employee of a larger company) is conducting the inspection, they are far less likely to extend themselves beyond SOP to do that. Repeat that times a hundred opportunities to really try to impress a client beyond the limitations of the SOP (fences, attics without floors, crawlspaces with less-than-optimal clearance, etc), and you begin to see the value of a dedicated independent inspector. Just wanted to make sure you placed your clients' best interests ahead of your need to churn through just another deal at top speed. Keep up the good work!
In my experience the quality of inspectors isn't necessarily about whether they are the owner of their company or not, although I appreciate your comment as an independent inspector 😁
Awesome video. Today is 10/27/22 and I’m heading to home inspection right now. Thanks again.
Not only did I learn a LOT, I also paid attention through the video. Thank you for the wonderful information!
You’re welcome Chelsea!
Super helpful! We’re looking into our inspector for the camp we’re looking to purchase and were feeling a little intense bringing in a log cabin specialist, but this makes me feel so much better about the decision! Great, informative video!
How did it go with the log cabin purchase. How’s it holding up
Thanks, Matt. Been watching your videos for the past few weeks, and it's really opened my eyes and educated me about this whole process. Phew, taxing. Anyway, hope to continue seeing these home buying tip videos--probably going to purchase something within the next year.
Awesome! I appreciate you watching! 🙏
This was a great video all the way through...im a first time homebuyer going through the process and this was very helpful!!!
Thank you for watching!
Three years down the line, things break. That's what home ownership means. First Time home buyers think that they are entitled because they are so used to calling maintenance. They need to realize that things break. And they need to learn to take responsibility to fix it, because it is their responsibility.
Last November my water bill went way up. There was a leak in the pipe between the meter and the house. No way that an inspector can find that. I had to get a leak finder service and a plumber to fix it. It wasn't much, just $700.
I’m going to home inspections tomorrow 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
as a home inspector, #4 is the worst. i've done over 300 homes and NEVER and i mean NEVER has a buyer found something that I didn't find first. is it a bad tip? not at all, it's just an irritating one to be followed as it LITERALLY slows me down answering all the paranoid questions. doesn't happen often, but still.
Matt very helpful video can you also please mention what are big ticketed items? Also plumbing and other stuff like efficiency of heating or cooling systems and insulation which is not covered in home inspection you recommend to get these done when you are buying a home from early 1990s
This is helpful! I'm having the inspection done today on a home I'm under contract on. I'm nervous. Roof and windows were replaced 5 years ago but I'm hoping there's no major systems failure
Can you elaborate more on what are the most important safety issues can be to look for such as asbestos of hvac leaks or clogges or possibly sewer line issues
Why get a chimney specialist unless the fireplace had been used. The inspectors said to check the chimney in my house, but I rarely used the fireplace, so what is the point? Again, consult the owner.
thanks for all your advices your channel have a huge value for me like first time buyer :)
Matt, is the seller credit in lieu of a discounted sales price on the house transaction for repair compensation so that the realtor's commission is not impaired/reduced?
Seller credit is in lieu of the sellers hiring their uncle to duct tape the furnace back together and call it ‘repaired’
Not only follow them around but do your own inspection example is my inspector missed that there were no screens on the windows a lot of them were missing and that was not cheap to replace those so I was not made aware of it until after the fact or they just didn’t tell me because maybe the sellers didn’t have the money to replace them and sometimes the inspectors works very close with your real estate agent so be careful there also if you know what I mean because they do want that transaction to go through.....You need to do your own homework and read up on issues that are important and observe closely!!
Incredible timeless content!
Excellent Matt. Learnt a lot. Thanks. Inspection tomorrow for our townhome.
@7:14 Now you have it. If it is a cheap fix. Anything that can be bought at a hardware store. Fix it yourself.
What if it's a new home/subdivision, is an inspection still necessary?
Absolutely. Sometimes builders mess up. Would definitely recommend an inspection
I don't believe you should follow the inspector around. Let the inspector do his/her job and in the end, the inspector will answer all the questions you might have. Following the inspector around might cost him to not be focused and overlook something.
I agree, when the buyer follows me around I find myself getting distracted by their questions and sometimes it completely throws off my inspection routine.
@@gideon805 The inspector requested I be there but I didn't want to. My realtor found him for me but I regret not getting my home.
Utter bullshit. Have them explain things to you. It's literally making them focus more on their job to explain it as they're doing it
@@godschild5189 why didn’t you get the house??
Interesting, 31 years ago, I did not follow the inspector live. It worked out fine.
gotta love the hustle, your forehead real estate is expanding!
Very good video and even better information. You have earned my sub good sir. 👍
Is it good to a inspection from ur own inspector when buying new construction
Yes
Thanks
What about the seller is selling the home in as in condition. Do the buyer still highly recommend to do a thorough house inspection? Thank you .
This probably really late to ask since this video is about a year old but can you record the home inspection? And can you also do multiple inspections if you feel your first inspector’s quality was low? Great informational video.
Yes and yes
@@TheMattLeighton thanks for the reply. Appreciate the quick turnaround.
Very informative video
At 4:32 minutes (mistake #4) you mention following the inspector around like a puppy dog "During" the inspection. That is NEVER a good idea because it will slow the inspector down and the distraction may cause them to miss something vital. The correct time to follow an inspector around is "After" the inspection has been completed. The inspector should do what is called "A walk around" where they then walk you around the property and point out what they have found and what the recommendation may be. Aside from that discrepancy, it is factual that a buyer should want to ask the inspector questions on the who's, what's, why's, when's and where's of the house. Some good information though.
What if your an out of town investor and you can't be there for the inspection?
The mistake is to use a home inspector. The buyers should do everything that the inspector does before making an offer. They should check the water, drips, leaks, walls, electricity, etc. The buyers should live in it for a while.
And a mistake is to think that it is the seller's responsibility to fix or credit them. It is the buyer's responsibility to fix anything after the sale.
realtors work with certain closing company and home inspectors...
Thanks for the content
Thank you
A lot of good advice here
This video needs more views!
Thank you!
I am neither looking for a house or have anything to do with real estate, but I really liked it! Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks for stopping by!
@@TheMattLeighton
Lord willing May thy properties ye sell be ever bountiful, and thy clients always kind.
keep up the good work! And by all means feel free to post more nitty gritty workings of real estate videos, stuff like this is fascinating.
Hi Matt, can you recommend inspectors in Orange County? Thanks!
Hovering over your home inspector the entire time is a great way to ensure that he misses something important while trying to entertain you. If you want to be at the inspection, ask the inspector when he'll be wrapping up and come at the end. He can walk you through and point out major defects. Otherwise, wait until you get your report, and if there's anything that you want clarification on, call and ask him. Being up the inspectors ass the entire time and asking a thousand questions is redundant and problematic, especially when you're paying for a report.
Home inspectors walk a tightrope. If the inspector finds a small or medium defect and informs the buyer and the buyer busts the deal on that info, the seller may sue the inspector because the deal was busted. However, if the inspector doesn't mention a small to medium defect to the buyer, the buyer may sue the inspector at a later date when the defect is discovered. Thus, the inspector may mention only a major defect and overlook the small to medium stuff.
Awesome content
I think my realtor is just trying to close the deal. There were vertical cracks in the basement walls. I asked for a structural engineer to get a second opinion. My realtor found a guy but after looking him up it shows a home remodeling LLC. He has nothing listing him as a structural engineer. She says the sellers can sue me if I walk away.
I a real estate agent and my dad is a home inspector. He’s been one for the past 10 years. We are both ethical and he gets a ton of business. But I don’t recommend him to clients for liability purposes.
Gave this video a like btw. Great advice
That's smart
Thank you! I appreciate you watching! 🙌
What if I am already receiving max seller concessions that my loan allows me.
Can seller furnish a check for me to repair the items instead?
Thoughts on buying a home warranty?
Waste of money
@@TheMattLeighton thanks! I've heard most are scams.
I wondered this too, good to know
Hi I need to know when buying a new home from a builder will there be bidding wars or not. Several ppl told me there is never a bidding war purchasing thru a builder. Plz reply
My Realtor didn’t even let me know being present at the inspection was an option 😒
But sometimes there are certain things that must be repaired before you move in .....because that happened to me and it would’ve called the deal off it was a dealbreaker ....let’s say
Good point
@@TheMattLeighton Also I think you can get both the credit and the repairs which I got on my home ....as it all turned out...Not my plan of course??
That's right, you can get both! I know I may have talked in "absolutes" when it comes to one or the other in regards to credits or repairs. Go for the credits, sometimes you'll end up with repairs, sometimes both!
In back-out Girlie’s defense, the seller really should’ve hid the bodies… Of the bugs. Poor form. C’mon! LOL.
I use live in this house with my boyfriend and he lost his house it was his Mom house. She passed away now it’s up for sale. I wanna buy it now. So what if during a inspection there is a big issue, Do I back out?
Awesome 👌
Can seller crefit be used with a VA home loan?
More of these first time homebuyer videos...
Most definitely will!
This was GOOD STUFF
All spot on and sound advice One point of critique, While It's good for a client to engage and interact during the inspection process, I do not recommend "following o the inspectors heels like a puppy dog". That will distract the inspector and cause them to possibly miss subtle clues of problems. Good inspectors need to have all senses laser focused on each and every item they are examining. Buyers do not need to understand what a good inspector is doing, they just need to understand the results and potential implications.
I'm not an inspector but I thought something similar. Certainly one wants to be present and attentive to what the inspector is checking, but I think it would be better to be present, focused on what the inspector is doing, and make notes of any questions to ask him/her after they finish up at the property so as not to disrupt their focus.
A buyer must keep in mind that not every inspector is going to do a thorough job, so they must be present to make sure the job is done thoroughly, but also respect the inspectors work space and professional opinion (which is why they were hired in the first place).
It would be a wonderful world if we could hire people and they would actually do what they were supposed to do when no one is looking (which is how I am), but in 52 years on this planet I now recognize that is more the exception rather than the rule.
Not need to know??? That's a lot of money at stake! I want to know that I need to check those bolts every 6 months rather than wait for the damage. I want to be told that the water heater should be checked at the top and the bottom for condensation and that a cheap water sensor could alert me before my house floods.
I recommend following the inspector quietly and back a few feet. Whether you ask questions at the end of each section or at the end of the inspection should be discussed before they are hired. But if an inspector does not want me to follow them, I would not hire them!
My advice is to not use an inspector but to talk to the owner to get the history of the house. An inspector does not know the history of the house and why things have been done or not done by the owner.
If only this came out 2 weeks ago 🤣 our realtor asked for repairs and clearances from the companies. we needed $900 roof repairs and $4k section 1 work. he added clearance for both those items to our addendum.
You said you would recommend a realestste agent. How do I reach out to you? Dont want to put personal info here. Thanks!
What happened to electronic problems sewer. Water???
Very useful 👍👍 great content
Thank you!
Beware MOLD!!!
You still have to get rid of it.
Some good advice here, but as a home inspector it is not a good idea for the client to follow on the heels of the inspector. It’s easy to get distracted in conversation then you have to drive back out to the home because you were distracted. That’s the point of the FINAL WALK THROUGH! All questions should be saved for then.
nice
My husband bought a house at 19 and didn't go to the house when the home inspection was happening. Five years later a cat jumps on the roof and falls through the ceiling. The whole living room was destroyed.
Thank you for this! Home inspection tomorrow!
Thanks for your insight.
Thanks John!
FascinaTING !
minute 12 . . wow...yes, "Do not go celebrating that you saved $100 when...you lose out on thousands...10,000$ on something that was missed."
🙏🙏
I love your videos ☀️ very helpful thank you i
Thanks for watching!
Awesome advice. THANK U!!!!
Thanks for watching!
Great STUFF
Great video
Who pays for inspection buyer or seller
Buyer
@@TheMattLeighton shouldn't that be included in closing costs
it's paid for at the time of service.
@@TheMattLeighton ok thx! 1 more question seller agreed to pay closing cost how does that work
Talk to your lender. You shouldn't have to bring additional funds to pay for closing costs. Your lender will provide an Alta Statement/Closing Disclosure that will show the amount of closing costs that you owe and the Closing Disclosure will note a credit in the amount of the closing costs that are owed
Very helpful, thank you Matt!
Thanks for watching!
As a home inspector, do not allow the buyer to follow me around they distract you and good chance of missing something. Plus home inspector is liable for anyone in the home and your client goes into another room and steals something. Most inspectors have the buyer come at the end where you walk them through all the deficiencies I have found.
How can there be such a discrepancy between your position on this and the advice so often given by real estate agents? I’m not implying that you are wrong or right, but it makes it very confusing to understand what are the rights and responsibilities of the buyer when it comes to attending the home inspection or how involved they ought to be, or are able to be, while inspection is occurring. I would never think of looking over their shoulder for the whole inspection, or distracting them with a constant stream of questions, but I definitely feel like i would understand and retain the information better if it were at least partially explained to me while going through the house. Would the inspector go through everything thoroughly with me while walking through the house, or is he just going to run through it verbally? I don’t process and retain verbal information well when it’s unfamiliar territory, and I’m a first-time home buyer. I guess maybe this is something to ask the individual inspector(s) before hiring them?
@@Danielle-nz9tn
Do you stand over the surgeon over the surgeon while he operates on your child or do you ask the pilot what he is doing when he is on final approach and expect them to not get distracted. It’s your inspection and if you are that insistent (and foolish) walk through with the inspector and see how you get them out of their rhythm. Also the home inspector is liable for your actions; I had one guy who went in the attic ON HIS OWN and walking across ceiling joists and about fell through the ceiling. Another owner left and ripped into me since the potential buyer was walking through their home unaccompanied and she was watching and listening to everything said by every inspector. If you trust your Realtor then you better have a Realtor that has ethics and not out for their commission, otherwise you don’t have a clue how the real estate “game” works.
Imagine paying 5 inspectors. Every inspector charges you like $600 dollars $3000. Hahaha 😆 😂 😆 that's too much money.
VERY TRUE, ALSO REALLY GOOD POINTS MADE, THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE REST OUT WITH THIS INFORMATION- PIERCING INSTINCTS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT #FOLLOWUS
So far we've done everything right wow
Thank you this was great.
You're welcome!
great video bud.
If i'm looking at a condo, and the HOA is very tight at keeping things well-maintained, do I really need an inspector that might cost me $500+ or should I just do the inspection myself? I'm fairly handy and have high attention to detail.
In smaller condos with less maintenance (i.e. less chance of something breaking), there is less risk in forgoing the home inspection
hi how do i look into short leases deals ? buying and selling ?
100th Like!
Yes! Thank you!
ALWAYS ALWAYS GET AN INSPECTION! I would never buy a home without one. That is pure folly and road to financial ruin. You don't want to live the film The Money Pit in real life. Excellent tips and advice!
I would like to share some useful resources with fellow home buyers.
Redfin.com: have most listings for West of U.S., and they have a great UI.
HousesInsider.com: risk related factors information about house, natural hazards, social hazards like meth lab, radon, stigmatized events, nearby demographics, homeless, sex offenders, etc.
Zillow.com: have renter properties on it, similar to Redfin, but I like Redfin UI more.
Trulia.com: nearby amenities like restaurants, gym, crime rating map.
Government websites: for querying the properties transaction history, tax history, title records, etc.
Finding an agent: ask recommendations from your social circle, and talk with each of them and then asking questions, and then pick the ones you feel good about.
It is not easy, requires efforts, but with above websites, I can do much of it online and before I go onsite for touring open house and skip ones that have factors that I don’t like or don’t have the factors I like, so I can save my time.
"Just get a seller credit instead of repairs." --Benjamin Franklin