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Hey all, been on the parent forum for a while now but didn't realize this sub-forum even existed...what a great site!
We are moving from LA to San Diego. We are close to deciding on a property and figured to get a step up on the process as I suspect the sellers will press for a short closing date (tough market and all that). Price is in the low-7 figures in case that's relevant to the question below.
This home went pending about 4 months ago, fell out of escrow "due to COVID" (their words) and got relisted, then we showed up. During the first escrow it had an inspection and they provided us the report. It seems quite detailed and thorough; this will be our 6th home (1 at a time) and I don't believe I've seen a report quite this detailed. The dates line up (COVID and all that) so it is likely they are shooting straight.
Due to time and distance, I am wondering if it might be ok to just use the original inspection (which they will permit, but read on...). Yes it will save a few bucks, but that's not the main reason. I'm slightly concerned that any inspection I order may fall short of that one, in which case I would have fewer remedies available if they insist on sticking with mine.
The home has been vacant for some time, perhaps a year. During our visit I noticed some issues but nothing more than was pointed out in the inspection, which I received later.
Question then... is it worth the time, effort and $ to re-run an inspection? Could a vacant house have suffered much in 3 months? It has been listed for sale continuously since (and before) then, in fully staged condition.
Hey all, been on the parent forum for a while now but didn't realize this sub-forum even existed...what a great site!
We are moving from LA to San Diego. We are close to deciding on a property and figured to get a step up on the process as I suspect the sellers will press for a short closing date (tough market and all that). Price is in the low-7 figures in case that's relevant to the question below.
This home went pending about 4 months ago, fell out of escrow "due to COVID" (their words) and got relisted, then we showed up. During the first escrow it had an inspection and they provided us the report. It seems quite detailed and thorough; this will be our 6th home (1 at a time) and I don't believe I've seen a report quite this detailed. The dates line up (COVID and all that) so it is likely they are shooting straight.
Due to time and distance, I am wondering if it might be ok to just use the original inspection (which they will permit, but read on...). Yes it will save a few bucks, but that's not the main reason. I'm slightly concerned that any inspection I order may fall short of that one, in which case I would have fewer remedies available if they insist on sticking with mine.
The home has been vacant for some time, perhaps a year. During our visit I noticed some issues but nothing more than was pointed out in the inspection, which I received later.
Question then... is it worth the time, effort and $ to re-run an inspection? Could a vacant house have suffered much in 3 months? It has been listed for sale continuously since (and before) then, in fully staged condition.
Why don't you rehire the same inspector that did the previous inspection?
Question then... is it worth the time, effort and $ to re-run an inspection? Could a vacant house have suffered much in 3 months? It has been listed for sale continuously since (and before) then, in fully staged condition.
Yes.
It's in your best interest to perform your own due diligence rather than relying on others. You just never know what is going to come up.
Location: Sarasota/ Bradenton - University Pkwy area
4,615 posts, read 7,539,060 times
Reputation: 6036
What can happen to a vacant house in 3 months?
Vandalism.
Theft.....of things like appliances, copper pipes.
Leaking pipes, leaking roof.
Mold.
Appliances, water heater, AC / heat system stop working.
Squirrels, rats and other critters can invade the property.
Speaking of critters, termites.
If you liked the report of the previous home inspector, contact that same inspector about doing an updated report for you to see if any of the above have occurred since the last inspection was completed. To me it would be worth the minor expense of an inspection to find out what has (or has not) changed in that 3 month period.
Good idea to get an abbreviated check at least if possible. You can hire any inspector you like, give them the report, and ask them to check on the essentials - roof, plumbing, foundation. The other stuff can be checked as well but might be a waste if you can check it yourself.
And no inspector is perfect. Every inspector will miss something, and every inspector will obsess over something that others or you couldn't care less about.
As long as you check the big ticket items, you should be well protected.
I'm slightly concerned that any inspection I order may fall short of that one, in which case I would have fewer remedies available if they insist on sticking with mine.
Huh? An inspection is for your benefit. You don't even need to show them your inspection report. You're also not limited to the items revealed by your inspection. If the first report showed items not mentioned in a subsequent inspection, you could still ask for those items to be repaired. Unless you feel confident that there has been no change--by looking at those items yourself, if you feel qualified to do so--then get a followup inspection. It will give you some peace of mind, especially at that price point.
Plus, just because the first report appeared to be thorough doesn't mean that nothing was missed. I remember a friend who had an inspection done by the City inspector. The inspector was meticulous in noting every little crack and flaw which needed be repaired. He was so focused on minutia that he completely missed an un-permitted addition!
seems the obvious suggestion is to get your own inspection using the same inspector as before. They are likely to double-check the items they found before and see if anything was fixed, and then if anything new has happened note that as well.
The reassurance that nothing major happened to the house during that time period.
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