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When buying a home in Washington, you’ll have a chance to get the property inspected prior to purchasing. You’re not required to have a home inspection, but there are some good reasons to at least consider it.
In this article, we will explore some of the biggest benefits a home inspection can provide for home buyers in Washington.
A home inspection is a visual examination of the structure and systems of a home. They are performed by licensed home inspectors, who are trained to identify potential defects and hazards.
These inspections provide buyers with an independent third-party assessment of the home’s condition, so they can make an informed decision about whether or not to purchase it.
Here are eight reasons to consider having a home inspection, when buying a house in the state of Washington:
As of spring 2023, the median home value in the state of Washington was over half a million dollars. That’s a major investment. Because of this, home buyers want to do everything they can to ensure they are purchasing a solid property without any major issues.
This is one of the biggest benefits of having a home inspection. It can help you uncover potential problems or defects in a property, including everything from water leaks to faulty wiring.
These kinds of issues can be costly to repair, and can also pose safety hazards for you as a homeowner. So you obviously want to know about them in advance, before making any purchasing decisions. And this is one of the things a home inspection can reveal.
A home inspection can also help you avoid expensive repairs down the road by taking care of issues early on. For example, if you discover the roof leaks but still want to purchase the house, you’ll be able to take prompt action to correct the situation.
Without an inspection, you might not even realize there’s a roof leak until it causes major damage to other parts of the house.
The dictionary defines peace of mind as “a freedom from worry and anxiety.” This is another good reason to have a home inspection, when buying a house in Washington. It allows you to make a worry-free purchase by examining the property inside and out.
A home inspector will review everything from the roof to the foundation and let you know of any potential issues. That way, you can proceed to closing with the peace of mind that you’re purchasing a “known quantity.”
A home inspection can also help to identify a wide variety of safety hazards. This might include electrical issues (such as faulty wiring or an overloaded circuit), structural issues (like foundation cracks and damaged walls), and a number of other potential hazards.
Knowing about these things in advance – and resolving them prior to your purchase – can contribute to the peace of mind mentioned above.
When you have a home inspected in Washington, you will receive a detailed report that includes any issues the inspector discovered. While the inspector probably won’t provide you with repair estimates, he or she will at least outline those issues. You can then do your own research to determine how much those types of repairs might end up costing you down the road.
Home buyers in Washington can use the inspection report as a bargaining tool during negotiations with the seller. In some cases, buyers are able to negotiate a lower purchase price based on some of the issues uncovered during the home inspection. More commonly, buyers can negotiate with the seller to make repairs prior to closing.
A home inspection can also provide a valuable education and learning experience for you, as a home buyer. In fact, the inspector might encourage you to accompany him or her during portions of the inspection process.
Once it has been completed, the inspector will sit down with you and go over all of the findings, including any potential issues. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the condition of the property, installed systems, maintenance tasks, and more. This knowledge will serve you well as a future homeowner.
As you can see, there are many good reasons to have a home inspection when buying a house in Washington. There is no law or rule that requires you to have the property inspected. But you can benefit from the process in many ways.
The average cost for a home inspection in the state of Washington is around $300, though it can be more than that for a larger and/or older home. If you compare that price to the amount of money you’re actually investing in the home, you might decide that the inspection is well worth the cost.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.