What to Expect from a Home Inspection in San Juan Capistrano

Before you buy your new home, it is important to schedule a home inspection. An inspection is important because it lets you know about any issues that your new home may have before you buy. While no one wants to find problems with a house they have fallen in love with, most houses have at least a few issues that will need to be fixed eventually, and the older the house, the more likely it will have expensive problems. Many times, the inspection will find hidden damage you may not have seen in a walk-through, and if an issue is bad enough it is good to know about it before you buy.

An inspection will allow you to change your mind about a house, negotiate with the seller, or make plans to fix issues after you have closed on your home. San Juan Capistrano real estate is beautiful and a great place to find your forever home. Be prepared for your move by getting a home inspection before you finalize the sale. Unfortunately, knowing where to start on getting a home inspection and what to expect during the process can be hard. In order to be fully prepared for your home inspection, be sure to keep these things in mind.

Once you have an accepted offer on one of the San Juan Capistrano homes for sale, you need to schedule your home inspection. While inspections are not required for a sale, many insurance companies do require them, and they are strongly recommended for everyone. Finding a good inspector is significant as they can be expensive. In Los Angeles, inspections can cost $200-$500 depending on the area, size of the home, and the inspector’s experience. Despite how expensive they are upfront, an inspection can save you thousands of dollars — and a lot of trouble — in the future.

When looking for a good inspector, a quick search online is a good place to start. This can give you an idea of the people in your area as well as their cost. Be sure the inspectors you find are certified. Next, ask your friends and family members for a referral. Sometimes the best referrals are from the people you know the best. You can even ask your real estate agent about inspectors they have worked with in the past. Once you have a list of potentials, take a look at reviews online. Along with referrals from friends, this is the best way to get a feel for how good the inspector is and what people think of them. Be sure to look for how much experience an inspector has, as this is a good indicator of their skill.

While it is not required that you attend the inspection of your new home, it is recommended. Attending the inspection can help you understand exactly what the inspector is looking for in the house and also help you fully understand any issues that may come up. An inspector will look at many things in and around the house, including the exterior, interior, the land, roofing, attic/crawl spaces, electrical, appliances, plumbing, basements, chimneys, foundation, and heating/cooling systems.

For the exterior, interior, roofing, attic/crawl spaces, foundation, basements, and chimneys, they are looking for any water damage, cracks, poor construction, window seals, missing paneling or shingles, or other damage that may cause problems. When they inspect the land, they are looking for things like trees with roots that might grow too close to the house, trees that may be unhealthy and in danger of falling, water drainage issues, and potential problems with patios, decks, pools, or other outdoor areas. When looking at the electrical, appliances, plumbing, and heating/cooling, inspectors will be looking to see if everything is working appropriately, the age of the systems, when they were last serviced, and if they will need to be replaced in the near future. Inspections can offer extremely important insight into potential trouble with a home and are recommended for San Juan Capistrano homes for sale.

If the inspector finds issues with your new San Juan Capistrano real estate, it is important to know what steps to take next. Unless the home you have purchased is brand-new, the inspector will likely find a few problems. Hopefully, these things are easy fixes, but sometimes they can be more costly, especially if your home is older or wasn’t well taken care of. During the inspection, the inspector will communicate the severity of any issues they find and how urgently they need to be fixed.

Some challenges, like broken appliances or outlets that don’t work, might not need fixing right away but will eventually need care. Sometimes the inspector will find things that aren’t going to cause problems but might be inconvenient and costly to change. Older homes were sometimes built with different regulations that aren’t safety concerns. Things like outdated/damaged electrical systems or severe structural problems will need to be fixed as soon as possible. If a significant problem is found, you can negotiate with the seller.
Oftentimes the seller will cover part — if not all — of the cost of repairs. They may also offer a discount on the house overall or come up with another solution. For other repairs, you can ask the inspector if they have any referrals. While it is unlikely that the inspector will be qualified to fix any problems, they might know the best people for the job.

Once you know all about what to expect during a home inspection and you are ready to start your home-searching journey, you are ready to find an agent. Reach out to the zRE Group for an expert San Juan Capistrano real estate agent.