Salt Lake City Homes & Condos: Home Inspections & Due Diligence

Once you’ve made your offer, negotiated price and terms and have gone under contract on a Salt Lake city home or condo that you intend to purchase, most buyers hire a home inspector. The reason for an inspection is to find out about the physical condition of the home or condo. If there are any major issues, you’ll want to know about them in advance and you may be able to negotiate some repairs with the Seller. The cost of the inspection can often pay for itself in repairs the Buyer gets from the Seller. Either way, the Buyer gets peace of mind.

There is an organization called ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) of which many local Salt Lake inspectors are members. It's usually best to find a home inspector that is certified, experienced and has been recommended.

A home inspector does their inspection by inspecting the systems and structure of a home. Some of the inspections are done with equipment, like Radon and Carbon Monoxide detectors, but most of the home inspection is done by observation. The home inspector looks for visual clues to understand the systems and detect potential problems. Home Inspectors use visual clues because they are not allowed to alter or damage the home or property.

Some items that are typical of a thorough home inspection are listed below. From this list you will see why getting a home inspection is so important.

Exterior Items:
Grounds, Lot and Slopes
Fences, Gates & Retaining Walls
Driveways & Sidewalks
Steps, Porches, Awnings, Pergolas, Patios, Decks & Rails
Exterior Foundation
Exterior Doors, Windows and skylights
Siding, brick, stucco and stone used on the exterior
Exterior Trim, Soffit & Fascia
Gutters & Downspouts
Roof & Roofing systems
Chimneys & Vents
Exterior Electrical Outlets
Exterior hose bibs
Garage, Overhead Door, Auto Opener, Car port
Exterior Lights & Electricity
Interior Items:
Basement floors, walls & floor drains
Floor Joists, Roof Joists/Rafters/framing
Insulation
Plumbing & Water Pressure
Water Heater
Water supply line, pressure regulators & main shut off valve
Sinks, vanities, tubs & shower stalls
Fixtures & faucets
Garbage disposal
Toilets
Electrical components, main panel & sub-panels
Junction boxes, switches, outlets & GFCI outlets
Ceiling fans and light fixtures
Smoke and CO detectors
Heating & cooling systems, humidifiers, thermostats and gas lines
Fireplaces & stoves
Kitchen appliances
Countertops, cabinets, drawers and hardware
Walls, drywall and trim
Interior doors and windows
Interior stairs and railings
Tile surrounds and back splash
Flooring

The items above are what a home inspector will typically inspect. There are other forms of Due Diligence that a home or condo buyer in Salt Lake might do. Many of these are mentioned on the Buyer Due Diligence Checklist form that you sign with your Salt Lake City Realtor when making an offer on a property.
Here’s a list of some other due diligence a buyer might do (Testing/Confirmation):

Test for Radon Gas level
Title Issues & Homeowners Associations
Confirming price and availability of Homeowners Insurance
School district home is located within
Is Rental of Property allowed
Building Code & Zoning Compliance
Tests for Hazardous Waste & Toxic Substances
Test for Methamphetamine
Test for Homes with Stucco Exterior
Flood Zone & Insurance
Survey and Staking
Test for Mold
Confirmation of home square footage and acreage
Availability of Utility Services & Water
Income Taxes and Legal Consequences
Location of Emergency services
Housing Compliance
Geologic Conditions
Home Warranty
Property Taxes

If your plan is to move from one home to another, just putting your home on the market isn’t enough. Your home will need to be ready to show and you’ll need a strategy to accomplish the sale and purchase of another home in a reasonable time frame.

With 10 years selling homes in metro Salt Lake and 20 years in the real estate business, I have many strategies and an in depth understanding of what it takes to help you sell and buy another home. Call or email me if you’d like to take advantage of this opportunity!

Contact SLCHomeBuyer and Kevin Coyle

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