Why do I need a home inspection?

In a real estate transaction, I always recommend that the buyer does a home inspection, a termite inspection, a radon inspection, and an underground storage tank inspection before the closing is finalized. The home inspection is to determine if there are any defects in the home, whether they may be physical or environmental. The termite inspection is completed to determine if there are any wood-destroying insects currently at the home which need to be treated or if there was any structural damage to the home caused by wood-destroying insects.

The radon inspection is to determine if there is any radon gas in the home. An acceptable level of radon gas per the Department of Environmental Protection is 4.0 picocuries or lower. The underground storage tank is a very important inspection. That allows you to determine if there are any underground oil tanks, septic tanks, or other tanks on the property which may need to be removed by the seller prior to closing.

Purchasing a home is a major investment and the worst thing that could happen would be to buy a home that is riddled with thousands of dollars of repairs. If the home inspection finds that there are a lot of issues within the house that may make it unsafe to live in, you can ask the seller to cover the costs of all or some of these repairs. Another option you can take in this situation is to negotiate the cost of the house a few thousand dollars less so you can afford to cover the cost of the repairs on their own. Overall, it is very important for you to have a home inspection and to be aware of what options you have in regards to negotiating who will cover the costs of any repairs that must be made.

Joseph Gachko, Esq. is an experienced New Jersey attorney who can assist you in any of your real estate-related legal matters. If you require legal counsel for your real estate matters, please contact The Law Office of Joseph Gachko today to set up a consultation.