Hire an inspection contractor? (sales, real estate, mortgage)

[tracyy]

We are going to build a new home with Ryan. Is it necessary to hire a contractor for inspection?

[greg42]

You mean inspection after the home is complete, like is typically done when buying an existing house? The answer is no you don't HAVE to, but what most people don't realize is that even when buying new construction it's not a bad idea to spend a few bucks and have an inspector go through. Also I would guess they often don't have anyone else looking at the documents, which is less protection even than having a typical commission-paid real estate agent when looking at an existing home. Know what's in the contract, and get an inspection contingency in there. When people buy an existing house, they make the contract contingent on inspection, so that if certain things are not satisfactory they can back out. No reason not to do the same for a new construction house. You may even want to consult with a real estate attorney to make sure you know what's in the contract.

This sounds like a lot of extra stuff, but you're buying a house! A house is a big expensive purchase, and yet I'd swear that some of these new construction sales come out more akin to buying an appliance at Sears. I know someone with a Ryan house who bought it new, before it was built. Ryan isn't particularly responsive after the sale. You have to make sure you have an out or that they are responsible for fixing things that are not up to spec. So yes, get an inspection, and make sure that you have recourse with Ryan if the inspection turns up problems. The time to make sure of that is BEFORE SIGNING. Hope it's not too late.

[Copanut]

If you are getting your mortgage with Ryan, I would personally inspect the property on a regular basis. If it's an outside lender, the bank will send either a loan officer or appraiser to inspect on a draw schedule. Either way, do not sign off prior to closing until everything is complete.

[Ohio Inspector]

Yes have someone with current code knowledge inspect your new home.

[neurodistortion]

Yes, always have an inspection of your home prior to purchasing. If you're buying with a VA loan, the VA requires you to have a home inspector.

[ditchdigger]

I've been involved in the construction of literally hundreds of homes (somewhere between 2 and 3 hundred. I've lost count), over the past thirty years, and the number of those buyers who hired their own inspector to oversee construction equals exactly one. (To the best of my recollection. I'll ask tomorrow if anyone in the company can think of another one.)