There is an old adage in real estate … caveat emptor … which means buyer beware. And are they ever bewaring! That is a good thing, however, since the purchase of a home is likely the largest purchase they will ever make. But, like buying a used car, you don’t want one with bald tires and a bad transmission. Hence the reason for a home inspection.
Home inspections can be daunting to both buyer and seller. We recommend a pre-inspection for our sellers to avoid any last minute negotiations over repairs … or the loss of the buyer. Buyers need to know what they are purchasing and an inspection provides information they cannot see themselves about conditions of the home. In our many years of being on the frontlines of real estate, we have many stories to tell…
The Pied Piper:
No, this isn’t a story about the four legged animals with long tails that can strike fear in even the bravest of people… this is a story about a sewer pipe that could have caused a world of trouble had it not been for an inspection. Tucked away on a quiet street off of Jefferson Hwy near Goodwood Ave. stood the cutest cottage that our first time home buyer clients absolutely fell in love with. We were quick to put in an offer and they got the house! During our 12-day due diligence and inspection period, we did a full home general inspection with one of our trusted inspectors. One of the steps taken during the inspection is to run as much water through the plumbing to ensure adequate flow and also to ensure that the plumbing can handle an increased amount of water at a given time. All seemed well during the first few minutes, however as we walked into the primary bathroom we noticed that the shower was overflowing onto the floor. We quickly turned off all the running water and started to attempt to diagnose the problem. The inspector thought it best to bring in a licensed plumber that would have the capability to inspect the plumbing pipes with a special snake camera. As the plumber ran the camera through the lines everything seemed normal until we finally reached the main line. It was there we were able to see a large blockage that was caused by a cypress knee growing against the line causing the flow to be obstructed. Over time the blockage would have become worse causing a major issue for our clients. Finding this issue out early on in the inspection process, we were able to work with the seller to have the knee removed and a new plumbing line installed. This gave our clients a peace of mind to move forward with the purchase and they still are enjoying their beautiful cottage today… and without plumbing issues!
Anything can be fixed. We have resources. We have solutions. For sellers, we make remedies upfront before going to market to avoid fall out. For buyers we have vendors at our disposal to review and quote the cost of repairs, which are then provided to the seller to make an informed decision, thus keeping the negotiations moving forward. You should see the tales we can tell about inspections … from foundations to electrical to roofing to plumbing to drainage … but we know how to handle them all. One buyer discovered a crack in the piers … we had 3 consults and discovered an easy, equitable remedy for both parties. That is what we do … every day for each of our clients. Solution oriented is our mantra. "
Home inspections can be daunting to both buyer and seller. We recommend a pre-inspection for our sellers to avoid any last minute negotiations over repairs … or the loss of the buyer. Buyers need to know what they are purchasing and an inspection provides information they cannot see themselves about conditions of the home. In our many years of being on the frontlines of real estate, we have many stories to tell…
The Pied Piper:
No, this isn’t a story about the four legged animals with long tails that can strike fear in even the bravest of people… this is a story about a sewer pipe that could have caused a world of trouble had it not been for an inspection. Tucked away on a quiet street off of Jefferson Hwy near Goodwood Ave. stood the cutest cottage that our first time home buyer clients absolutely fell in love with. We were quick to put in an offer and they got the house! During our 12-day due diligence and inspection period, we did a full home general inspection with one of our trusted inspectors. One of the steps taken during the inspection is to run as much water through the plumbing to ensure adequate flow and also to ensure that the plumbing can handle an increased amount of water at a given time. All seemed well during the first few minutes, however as we walked into the primary bathroom we noticed that the shower was overflowing onto the floor. We quickly turned off all the running water and started to attempt to diagnose the problem. The inspector thought it best to bring in a licensed plumber that would have the capability to inspect the plumbing pipes with a special snake camera. As the plumber ran the camera through the lines everything seemed normal until we finally reached the main line. It was there we were able to see a large blockage that was caused by a cypress knee growing against the line causing the flow to be obstructed. Over time the blockage would have become worse causing a major issue for our clients. Finding this issue out early on in the inspection process, we were able to work with the seller to have the knee removed and a new plumbing line installed. This gave our clients a peace of mind to move forward with the purchase and they still are enjoying their beautiful cottage today… and without plumbing issues!
Anything can be fixed. We have resources. We have solutions. For sellers, we make remedies upfront before going to market to avoid fall out. For buyers we have vendors at our disposal to review and quote the cost of repairs, which are then provided to the seller to make an informed decision, thus keeping the negotiations moving forward. You should see the tales we can tell about inspections … from foundations to electrical to roofing to plumbing to drainage … but we know how to handle them all. One buyer discovered a crack in the piers … we had 3 consults and discovered an easy, equitable remedy for both parties. That is what we do … every day for each of our clients. Solution oriented is our mantra. "
Is it homeownership time? It is ...
