There’s lots of  houses and condos available within the greater Cincinnati real estate market.  And as buyer’s try to bargain for the best deal, some of them are making a costly mistake by saving money and either skipping the home inspection or doing the inspection themselves.

Unless you are trained ASHI certified inspector,or a mechanical/structural engineer – not having a professional inspection is just plain dumb!  And you can quote me.

Not to simplify the process but there are at least 3 good reasons why I strongly suggest buyers pay for a home inspection:

1. There’s a misconception among some buyers that older homes need to be inspected and newer homes don’t.  All properties need a thorough inspection and this includes older properties all the way to just built and never lived in.   You wouldn’t buy a used car without a test drive and maybe a visit to the mechanic.  Think of the home inspector as the test driver.
2. Professional inspectors have no emotional attachment to the property.  They provide a neutral, 3rd party opinion on what works and what might need repair.  It’s much easier for buyers to negotiate for fixes or seller paid warranties when the problems are printed (and sometimes pictured)  and can be shared with the sellers.  Some buyers are relying on the Ohio Residential Property Disclosure  – but in some cases sellers honestly don’t know the property has major problems.
3. To the best of my knowledge buyers who perform their own inspections are not covered by their insurance if they damage the property when accidents happen-like putting their foot through the ceiling after slipping off  a rafter in the attic.  Or falling of the roof while inspecting shingles. (I have a journal of buyer bloopers-just email for more)

Don’t cost yourself more by trying to save money on the inspection.  There are legitimate ways to bargain for sellers to pay for closing costs-which may help you with the cash flow problem of hiring a home inspector.