But new home buyers can benefit from home inspections, too. New construction may be new, but it's rarely perfect. Most buyers can't answer these questions, but a qualified home inspector can. Inspections can also help sellers. Timely repairs can increase a home's value and enhance its marketability in a sluggish real estate climate.
Appraisals tend to nudge higher, too, when a home is in good physical condition.
How they work The time to let your Realtor know you'd like an inspection is when you're drawing up your offer. Make sure it's properly specified in the contract, and give yourself at least a week after offer acceptance to schedule the inspector's walk-through and receive and review his report. Also, the inspection should be done before you pay for loan fees, appraisals and credit checks. The actual inspection typically takes 1-3 hours. Armed with an extensive checklist and professional inspection equipment, our skilled inspectors check houses from roof to foundation, floor to ceiling.