Ask Jen

Do I really need a home inspection for a home I’m buying?

Q: Do I really need a home inspection for a home I'm buying?
Julie, Murrieta, CA

A: You bet! The last thing you want to do is to buy a home or any other property and discover later that there's rotting wood under the home or pipes that aren't working, which could cost you thousands to fix! Spend the $200-$300 to get a full home inspection by a professional to check out everything inside. But go a step further. Since inspectors will often be recommended by your real estate agent, be sure that you tell them directly that you want them to expose anything and everything (even though they are supposed to do this). More importantly, when an inspector reveals items needing fixing, you can work to get the seller to address them at their cost - not yours. By referring to your inspection, you can avoid looking like "the bad guy" and using this "independent" report as the basis for negotiating on these fixes. Even with just one item, you're likely to recover the cost of the inspection. So when it comes to property, don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Get an inspection report.