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Buyer's Blog Update 5/3/2021

Property Inspection
 
We cannot emphasize the importance of paying for a professional home inspection as part of a buyer’s due diligence during the home buying process.  A professional home inspector is essentially a jack of all trades who is trained to look at the property, the building’s structure, the electrical system, the plumbing, and the appliances.  An experienced inspector will be well-versed in the local building codes, have the tools necessary to identify functional problems, and realizes the limits of his or her expertise.  A home inspector is not expected to determine the structural soundness of a building’s foundation, but he should be able to recognize signs of a potential problem and recommend that the buyer consult with a structural engineer to determine if the foundation is compromised.
 
The inspector provides the buyer a report that details the areas inspected and the areas that could not be inspected due to a lack of access.  At first glance, the report can look daunting to a first-time home buyer and it is important that the issues identified have context.  Some deficiencies may jeopardize the inhabitants’ safety if not addressed while other deficiencies will not have immediate consequences but should be repaired in the future.  Some repairs are easy and inexpensive while others are difficult to repair and very expensive.  An experienced inspector and an experienced buyer’s agent can provide the buyer the necessary context and to help determine if moving forward with the home purchase is the best decision and what repairs should be requested and negotiated.
 
Purchase contracts in Hawaii specify a time that the buyer must complete the inspection and request any seller paid repairs of deficiencies found during the inspection.  The buyer may back out of the sale for any reason during the inspection period and receive back the earnest money deposited with the escrow company.  Completing and accepting the inspection is one of the major hurdles in buying a home.  Please call or email if you would like us to help you successfully complete a home purchase.

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