The home-buying process can be long and exhausting. Finding the right home and making an offer, is only the beginning of the closing process. It is crucial buyers require a professional home inspection to protect their investment.

A home inspection professional makes sure everything in the house is functioning properly and identifies any needed repairs.

The buyer normally pays the cost of the inspection but can always wave the right to an inspection. “That’s not a good idea,” says Paul Scott from PCS Home Inspections in Clarksville. “You should make a home inspection a mandatory part of the home-buying process. You need unbiased documentation of the home’s condition.”

A home inspection is recommended for both pre-owned homes as well as new construction.

Unseen and Unpredicted Problems
You can fall in love with a home for various reasons. You might love the size of the home, the open floor plan, the home’s exterior or the layout of the kitchen. While the home may look to be in excellent shape, the home’s aesthetics can hide real problems.

You need an inspector to climb into the attic for you and inspect every square foot and same for the crawl space or basement. The inspector can discover real and expensive problems that are not always apparent at the time you view the home with your real estate agent.

Save Money
A quality home inspection can save you from having to pay thousands of dollars in repair costs. “You will always benefit more than the cost of your home inspection,” said Paul.

Know What You’re Buying
In the end the most important reason to have a home inspection before you buy is to really know what you’re buying. Research your potential home like you would any other major purchase. The more you know, the fewer surprises there will be. “You are also learning very practical information about the home like where the main water & gas shutoffs are located and how to operate them in case of an emergency.”

Structural Problems
The home inspector will look at the foundation and other structural elements of the house. If the house is not structurally sound, the inspection report will identify the problems. Structural problems are major red flags when buying a house. You don’t want to get stuck with a home that is not well built.

Leaks
A new roof can cost $5,000 or more to replace and is one of the more expensive maintenance costs of owning a home. The inspector will look at the roof and identify the roof’s age in order to decide whether it is in proper working order. The report will point out any problems with the roof & gutters.

Safety
An important part of the home inspection is to make sure the home is safe. The inspector will look at the electrical system and make sure it is in proper working order. You don’t want to live in a home with an unsafe electrical system. If you choose to get a radon test, you will understand if the radon levels in the house are at safe levels. Radon is an odorless gas that can cause lung disease.

Maintenance Costs
A home requires ongoing maintenance. Things wear out and break. When putting together a budget for buying a home, you need to include maintenance costs. The amount of money that you budget will depend on the home’s condition. A newer home is less likely to need maintenance than an older home. “Most inspection reports include the life expectancy of big ticket components such as HVAC systems, water heaters and roof life,” explained Paul.

Negotiation Leverage
You have a huge amount of leverage with an inspection report. You can ask the seller to fix the problems that have been identified, renegotiate the asking price or ask the seller to contribute more to the closing costs. You are in the driver’s seat if the inspection report shows major problems with the house.

Peace of Mind
An inspection report guarantees that you understand the condition of the home when the sale finalizes which can ultimately bring you peace of mind. All in all, you don’t want any major surprises shortly after moving into your new home.

“Peace of mind is comforting,” said Paul. “You have actual physical documentation that informs you of the condition of the home. This is true even on new construction.