Arizona homes for sale

Is a home inspection enough? April 29, 2002 Most buyers wouldn't dream of buying a home without having it inspected by a reputable home inspector. But, don't assume that just because you've had the home you're buying inspected by a home inspector that you're finished with your due diligence investigations. A thorough home inspection doesn't cover everything. For instance, most home inspections don't cover: the permit history on the property; septic systems and wells; wood-destroying pest infestation; title issues, such as easements; environmental hazards like asbestos and mold; and security and irrigation systems. And this may not represent a complete list of the items excluded from your home inspection. A home inspection should be viewed as the starting point of your investigations into the condition of the property. You shouldn't buy a home without having one. You also shouldn't assume that a home inspection would give you all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not to buy a property. Home inspection reports usually include a disclaimer that lists the items that aren't covered. The reports often suggest that the buyers compete further inspections. Few buyers actually complete all the recommended further inspections, sometimes to their detriment. Permit history is a classic example. In some communities, like Piedmont in the San Francisco Bay Area, a home buyer almost always obtains a permit history of the property. The reason for this is that the city of Piedmont has an explicit disclosure alerting buyers about the importance of checking the building permit record. Many cities don't require such a disclosure. The main issue with building permits is that you could be required to correct a past owner's modifications to the property if the work was done without the necessary building permits. This includes situations where a permit was taken out to do work, but a final clearance was never issued. Recently, a homeowner in Oakland discovered after closing that the permit history on the home she bought was incomplete. She didn't discover this until her contractor went to the city to take out a permit to make changes to the property. Apparently, the previous owner had taken out a couple of permits that had expired. In this case, the city can require the new homeowner to get a final clearance on any outstanding permits before issuing a permit to complete new work on the property. This could be costly. It's usually easier to resolve permit issues when they are discovered before closing. A seller in Oakland, Calif., was informed, after he put his house on the market, that the contractor he hired to install air conditioning failed to take out the required building permit. The seller contacted the contractor who took out a permit and completed the work needed to obtain a final clearance. This was all done before closing, and didn't cost the new owner anything. HOUSE HUNTING TIP: It's a good idea to be present during your home inspection. This gives you an opportunity to get answers to any questions you might have. Be sure to ask the inspector if he recommends further inspections. If so, follow through and have these done. If you need more time to complete an additional inspection, ask the sellers for an extension. Or, ask the sellers to provide you with the information you need. Don't confine your investigations to the property boundaries. For example, the drainage or sewer lines from the home you're buying might cross another property before hooking to the city sewer main or storm drain system. THE CLOSING: If so, be sure easements are recorded in the title record granting permission for these lines to cross the adjacent property. Dian Hy mer is author of "House Hunting, The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers", and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide," Chronicle Books. Copyright 2002 Dian Hy mer Distributed by In man News Features More - Real Estate Columns   FREE reports on homes sold in your zip code Arizona Homes - All available zip code reports Chandler Homes Gilbert Homes Glendale AZ Homes Goodyear Homes Mesa Homes Phoenix Homes Scottsdale Homes Sun City AZ Homes Tempe Homes   FREE custom-made reports on homes for sale Metro Phoenix Southeast Valley. Homes for sale in Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek and Tempe. Phoenix. Homes for sale in Anthem and Phoenix. Southwest Valley. Homes for sale in Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear and Litchfield Park. Northeast Valley. Homes for sale in Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Rio Verde and Scottsdale. Northwest Valley. 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