Conduct Inspections
HOME, RADON, AND LEAD INSPECTIONS
Your sales contract may contain a number of inspections as a condition of your sale. Whether or not you include inspections in your offer will depend on market conditions, the property, and your comfort level. The most common inspections are a general home inspection and an inspection for the presence of radon gas.
Home Inspection
- Consider scheduling your inspection at the time your prepare your offer to purchase. Most inspectors will take a tentative appointment if it will be confirmed in 24 hours.
- Be present for the entire inspection. Most will take two to three hours and are as much about education as discovery.
- The purpose for an inspection is to uncover any significant situations that might cause you to renegotiate your agreement or, in extreme cases, even void it.
- If you ask the Seller to fix certain items, you are in effect saying that you will only purchase the property if the Seller agrees to the repairs. Be sure that your response to the inspection accurately and clearly reflects your objectives.
- The dates referred to in the home inspection paragraph are ‘hard dates’ and must be met in order to maintain the validity of this agreement. Please consult with your me carefully at every step of this process to stay on top of our deadlines.
Radon Testing
- Radon tests may be performed by your home inspector. It will take three days to obtain a reading with reasonable accuracy.
- The EPA has set a safe standard at less than 4.0 picocuries per decaliter. Any readings of 4 and above should be remediated, usually by the seller.
- Just as with the home inspection, the dates for performance are ‘hard dates’ and should be taken very seriously. Again, consult with me for guidance.
I am able to schedule both of these inspections for you. If you know of a qualified home inspector or a certified radon testing service you wish to use, please let me know as early as possible, otherwise I can recommend some to you.
HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION DOCUMENTS
If you have purchased a condominium or a home with a Homeowners Association, you have the right to review the legal and financial documents connected with the community. Your review might include, but not be limited to the following:
- Fees, what they include and any plans for increasing them.
- Rules and regulations, in particular those dealing with parking, trash removal, and what you are allowed to do with your property’s appearance.
- Pending suits.
- Anticipated major renovations.
You also have a 3-day right to cancel your contract, beginning when we receive these documents. As with the inspection deadlines, the deadlines for reviewing these documents are “hard dates” and must be taken seriously.
