Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, Placer, & El Dorado Counties

For Sacramento Home Buyers:

Why should a buyer have a home inspection at time when they need every dollar they have towards closing cost, home improvement, or home décor?

The answer is simple.  Without a Sacramento home inspection, you risk buying a home in Sacramento Metro that may have surprises that can cost you additional thousands of dollars in necessary repairs that are not visible or known during the buying process.  The additional amount you spend now on a Sacramento home inspection may save you thousands in the future.  You will definitely reduce your chances of having unplanned and costly surprises after you purchase your home if you have a home inspection prior to making your purchase.  The inspection will definitely help you make a logical decision about whether to proceed with the purchase, accept the home as is, or request repairs, among other things.

Never mind what the seller tells you about the house (I am not implying that your seller will not be honest) or what your pocket book tells you to do.  You need a home inspection in Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, El Dorado, Placer, or any other county that you plan to purchase a home in. 

Peace of mind is really what you are purchasing!

You must remember that every Sacramento home has defects or problems of some kind.  Even newly constructed homes in Sacramento have them. 

With this in mind, realize that every inspection will find some defects or problems.  It is inevitable.  You mustn't let the findings of an inspection frighten you. 

What a good home inspection should do is to create awareness of items in, under and around the home that may or may not need immediate attention.  Some findings may be significant enough to request repairs from the seller, find another Sacramento home to purchase, or accept the home in its present condition and do the repairs yourself.

Some of the findings from your Sacramento home inspection may just be items that you need to keep in the back of your mind and know that they may need addressing in the very near future. 

It is important to note that sellers are not obligated to do any requested repairs of items from the home inspection report.  This is where your Realtor should negotiate on your behalf.

The bottom line is: a good home inspection will bring to light the condition of the property at a point and time that will allow you to proceed with your purchase with confidence because you will know the condition of your new home.

So what do look you look for when choosing an inspector? 

Make sure they come with references.  They should also belong to one or more of the following:  The California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA), The National Association of Certified House Inspectors (NACHI), or The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).  And, they should provide you with a written report in a timely manner.

Be aware of inspectors that step beyond there area of expertise, i.e. roofer, engineer, electrician, etc.  Good inspectors usually will comment on these areas and then refer you to those experts.

Home inspections are there to help you and not to scare you.  Unfortunately, a bad Sacramento home inspector will frighten you away from an otherwise good home.  Be wary when an inspector in Sacramento, who may not be experienced or qualified, begins making statement such as, the electrical work was done without permits, or there are structural problems, or the roof has surpassed its' useful life.  If there are notable problems in any of these areas, these conditions should be referred to a qualified licensed electrician, licensed roofer, or structural engineer, etc. 

Your Sacramento Realtor can also help guide you through the inspection process.  Remember, do not let the difference between $350 and $650 steer you towards your choice of inspectors.  Quality is what you are looking for and not to save $300.  That $300 that you save may turn into $10,000 of unexpected repairs if you chose the wrong inspector.  You still may be able to find a quality Sacramento inspector at the lower range.  But do your homework.

Make sure you call 3 or 4 companies and ask them pertinent questions to your home purchase in Sacramento.  Your Realtor can be your guide on what type of question to ask them.

And, do not forget to be present during the inspection.

SUMMARY:

Do not let the purchase of your Sacramento home become more stressful or complicated than it has to be. 

This event should be a pleasant and worry free time in your life.  And this can be a reality if the right people are there to assist, guide and negotiate for you throughout the whole buying process.

Choose the right Realtor, Sacramento home inspector and repair personnel and your transaction will be about as smooth as possible.

If you have any questions or comments related this page or anything else, or you would like some advice, without any obligation, you can email or call anytime.

HAPPY HOUSE BUYING.