This charming condo located in the desirable Forest Lawn, this beautiful and affordable unit offers a perfect opportunity for first-time buyers, downsizers, or investors. As you step inside, you'll be greeted by a bright and inviting living room that's perfect for relaxation or entertaining. The kitchen boasts plenty of sleek appliances, and ample storage. The adjacent dining area is perfect for enjoying meals with family or friends.
The unit features a spacious and comfortable bedroom that offers privacy and natural light. The full bathroom is modern and features a bathtub and shower. Additional storage space is also available for your convenience.
This also features a private balcony, that you can enjoy your morning coffee or relaxing after a long day. It’s a perfect affordable rental property and has UNDERGROUND PARKING.
Located in the highly desirable community of Forest Lawn, this unit is just minutes away from shopping, restaurants, and public transportation. With quick access to major roads, downtown Calgary is just a short drive away.
Don't miss your chance to own this beautiful home. Book your showing today!More details
Don't miss out on this incredible rental investment opportunity! Spacious 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom unit. Nestled away off of 94 Ave, this unit makes an excellent rental and a great investment for the first time home buyer. Free laundry on the same level of this unit. The washers and dryers are also brand new! It offers in-suite storage and available bicycle storage. Additionally, there is one assigned parking stall and plenty of extra parking available in this well-funded complex, Check this LOW CONDO FEE unit out today before you miss out! Vacant and ready for possession! Bylaws do not restrict short term rentals!More details
Welcome to this gorgeous South Facing unit, located on the green space. Extensively updated throughout this open
concept abode, welcomes you in with open arms as the pristine flooring glistens beneath your feet. Your modern kitchen will leave you in aww, set upon the gorgeous counter tops, appliances, and enough cupboard space to tuck away every single appliance you own. End the night cuddled in your living room as the sun casts its colourful rays throughout your unit. Retreat to your beaming master complete with fresh paint and large closet to fit your ever-expanding wardrobe. End your evening with a glass of wine on your patio as you overlook the green space listening to the birds. Enjoy the luxury of in-suite laundry and secured TITLED underground parking and condo fees that include ALL utilities! This is the perfect condo, just minutes to some of Calgary's core shopping centres offering all the services and amenities you could need. Come experience the warm embrace of your new home.More details
Cozy, comfortable and contemporary at one of the best prices in all of Calgary. Perfect for the first time buyer or investor. You'll love the dark gray bamboo style vinyl plank flooring throughout. This condo features stainless steel appliances including the built in dishwasher. The in-suite laundry is super convenient and you'll love the spacious balcony. Condo fees are low and even include all three utilities! Absolutely move in ready and a quick possession is available. Terrific value for a terrific home!More details
This SECURE, WEST facing 776.57 sq ft HOME is MOVE IN READY!!! A CLEAN, 4th floor condo w/SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEM INSTALLED for the BUILDING, has upon entry into the unit; a LONG mirrored closet w/ORGANIZED shelving inside in the FOYER + a 4 pc BATHROOM. The CONVENIENT KITCHEN is L-SHAPED w/EVERYTHING within REACH incl/SPACIOUS countertops let alone MORE than enough CABINETRY for STORAGE too. It is open to the DINING ROOM + EATING AREA perfect for ENTERTAINING + FAMILY dinners together. That leads into the LARGE + BRIGHT LIVING ROOM w/sliding door to the 12'0' x 4'7" BALCONY which is a QUIET area to sit + enjoy the SUNSETS or have a BBQ. Down the WIDE hallway is the the 2nd BEDROOM which is a GOOD SIZE that can also be a DEN or OFFICE + beside that is the PRIMARY BEDROOM which is SPACIOUS + has a BAY WINDOW allowing NATURAL LIGHT in. The ASSIGNED 4'9" x 3'11" STORAGE is on the same floor as unit too. This HOME is in GOOD CONDITION incl/BUILDING that has regular UPGRADES such as NEW ROOF IN 2022 + RESEALING BASEMENT. A BONUS is the ELEVATOR + ASSIGNED HEATED UNDERGROUND PARKING!!! There is ADDITIONAL storage inside unit w/SHELVING which could accommodate a pantry or laundry as well. It is close to the LRT + QUICK access to downtown. The MATURE community of ACADIA has so much to offer w/RECREATION COMPLEX, PROGRAMS such as Curling Rink, Hockey Arena, Courts, Room + Hall Rentals, Tradeshow Space + Social Lounge. They have EVENTS for Blood Services, Flat Track Roller Derby, Community Clean-Up, Sports Cards Show, Monthly Meal, Vintage Redefined Market, Ukrainian Festival + Calgary's Largest Garage Sale!!! BOOK your showing today!!!More details
Escape being a renter with this awesome opportunity to own a well-designed 1 Bedroom condo with underground parking in a concrete building! Compass Erin Woods is a well-run complex with a great location with easy access to Deerfoot, Stoney Trail, and SE Industrial areas. It's also only a 10-minute drive downtown. The unit has a bright and open layout with 9-foot ceilings, quartz countertops, upgraded light fixtures, and more. Located on the third floor, the balcony faces SE and lets great natural light into the condo, the bedroom door is also now a French door to take advantage of all the natural light. The condo fees include all your utilities for only $442/month! The condo has a titled parking space in the underground, heated, and secure parking garage. The bathroom has a soaker tub and quartz countertops. The main area has a nook beside the kitchen that can as a dining room or convert to a home office. The living room has engineered hardwood floors and the carpet was just replaced in the bedroom. Don't wait, this place won't last long!More details
This perfect condo corner unit is now available for sale in the sought-after Dover area. Located on the main floor, this one-bedroom and one-bathroom unit offers a spacious and bright living space flooded with natural light. The unit is in move-in ready condition, making it convenient for the new owner. The living space is notably large and comfortable, with sqft 740, providing ample room for your furniture and belongings. Inside, you'll find an open concept layout, creating a seamless flow between the living, dining, and kitchen areas. The cabinetry and appliances (new dishwasher on 2021) in the kitchen are white, adding a modern touch to the space. Step out onto the patio/balcony to enjoy some fresh air and relaxation. The fireplace adds a cozy touch to the interior, perfect for those chilly evenings. The walls have been freshly painted, giving the unit a clean and refreshed look. its proximity to the famous Valleyview Park and Inglewood Golf and Curling Club, you can enjoy the beauty of nature just a short distance away. The condo includes an underground garage for parking, ensuring the safety and security of your vehicle.
If you're a pet lover, you'll be delighted to know that pets are welcome in this condo. This Complex boasts great accessibility, allowing for convenient travel to nearby amenities and attractions. Don't miss out on the opportunity to own this perfect condo corner unit in the beautiful area of Dover. Contact us now to schedule a viewing and make it your own! It is vacant and easy to see. Offers will be reviewed on Sunday at 3:00pm. Represented and un-represented buyers are welcome.
Regenerate responseMore details
Welcome home! This main floor end unit has just under 850 Sq.Ft with a large patio to take in those amazing Calgary summers. It has laminated flooring throughout, and tile in the entrance, laundry room and bathroom. Freshly painted walls, stainless steel appliances, ensuite laundry with storage and one parking stall with lots of visitor parking. Great location near Deerfoot to make it a quick commute to work or just to get out of town. Well managed condo with reasonable condo fees which make this a great buy for a first-time buyer or an investor taking advantage of todays rental market.More details
Great Opportunity here for first time home buyer or investors. Priced to sell at $194,900. This townhouse is very cluttered, photos were taken after renovation and prior to tenant moving in. This 937 sq ft townhouse features two good sized bedrooms and four piece bath on the upper level. The main level has a large living room, dining area and kitchen with updated cabinets. The basement is unfinished and has recent furnace and hot water tank. The assigned parking stall (#88) is located close the the unit. This complex has had extensive upgrades done including new vapor barrier, vinyl siding, fencing, repairs to u/g water lines, improved parking lot lights, new sidewalks and newer windows and doors. The monthly Condo fee is $221.86 plus there is a $318.05 monthly special levy fee until 2029 to cover these costs.More details
Lake Access!!! Nothing can beat summers at the lake, especially when it's just steps from your own condo. Own your space and be able to do all the activities, social gatherings and life experiences that you want in this completely affordable, beautifully maintained 1 bedroom condo. Ready to move into, this condo has an open floor plan, stainless steel appliances, insuite laundry, titled underground parking, titled separate storage and a fenced patio area give you the best of everything.More details
***Attention buyers. This is a Partial interest sale (50% of total ownership)*** Located on a 40'x120 R-2 lot this location is just minutes from downtown and located close to schools, shopping and quick access to deerfoot trail and all other amenities. This view lot is a great opportunity for a savvy investor. Offered well below market value for 50% interest.More details
Welcome to this sunny, SE facing unit with a huge balcony to soak up the sun! Great price, great location and so much more to offer! Conveniently located close to all the shops, restaurants and amenities on 130th Ave! This open floor plan condo is perfect for the first time buyer or investor with an open floor plan, functional kitchen with a breakfast bar, upgraded dishwasher and fridge, laminate flooring runs through most of the unit, good sized living room and a bedroom with a walk in closet! The balcony is a great size and has tons of natural light! There is storage and laundry in suite, the unit is located close to the elevator for convenience, doesn't share any walls with any neighbours and has an underground heated parking space as well! There aren't many properties you can get for this price around anymore in a great community that has all the conveniences, amenities, schools and transit just a short walk or a drive away! Put this one on your list.More details
A great opportunity to own a home in the sought after community of Midnapore - with lake access! This condominium is conveniently located, with easy access to Macleod Trail and Stoney Trail. The open floor plan in this unit provides plenty of natural light throughout. The private southwest facing balcony is warm and sunny, and has a natural gas hook-up for your BBQ. The kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances, and a breakfast bar at the counter. The spacious office/den is perfect for those who need to work or study from home. Includes a titled parking stall in the underground parkade. Call today to book your private viewing!More details
This stunning ground floor condo offers a well-kept living space with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 1 U/G parking stall. The upgraded kitchen comes with custom white cupboards, modern black appliances and overlooks the separate dining area and large living room which grants access to a good sized patio with a gas BBQ hook-up and direct street access. The master bedroom comes with a huge walk-in closet plus a 4pc ensuite. Completing this lovely Condo is a second bedroom, another 4pc bath plus an in-suite laundry and storage area. Additional bonuses include: Fresh paint and beautiful engineered hardwood throughout plus 1 U/G parking stall #171. Located close to schools, parks, City Transit, major shopping/restaurants and easy access to main roadways. This home is immaculate, making this condo the perfect package.More details
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS. CALLING ALL INVESTORS. This unit has an amazing long term tenant and has been here for 10 years and would love to continue on with the new owner. Lease is in place until June 30th, 2024. This amazing unit is the TOP FLOOR north facing balcony and boasts 2 spacious bedrooms, The primary bedroom has a 4 piece ensuite and walk in closet and the 2nd bathroom is the main bath for the unit and has the washer and dryer located there. This is a beautiful, well maintained condo and the tenant treats it as his own. Neutral colors through out and the kitchen has white cabinetry, an island and comes complete with newer kitchen appliances.(Fridge,Stove and Dishwasher). There is a garden door out to the deck (5' 9" x 9'9") All utilities are included in the condo fees, the tenant pays his own internet and cable. This is an awesome investment and you won`t want to miss out on this opportunity.More details
WELCOME HOME! This absolutely stunning 2 bedroom + den TOP FLOOR executive condo features over 1000SF of living space, TITLED UNDERGROUND parking, and includes ALL UTILITIES (Heat, Electricity, Water, and Sewer)!! Located steps from ELLISTON LAKE and surrounding dog park and walking paths, this beautiful property features lovely vinyl plank hardwood and plush carpeting throughout, and an open concept, fully equipped kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances that overlooks your massive living room soaked in natural sunlight where you can cuddle up with your favourite book while the fire softly flickers beside you. The living room also provides access to your covered balcony for some fresh air or to BBQ with friends and family alike! The master bedroom provides a ton of space to relax after a long day and features a large walk-in closet with custom built-ins and 4-pc ensuite as well. There is also a spacious second bedroom with double closets and a shared 4-pc bathroom just outside the door. This property also includes a huge den that could double as a home office, exercise room, arts & crafts room, or a pantry/storage area; in-suite laundry, a heated TITLED underground parking stall to keep your car nice and warm during the long Calgary winters, in-suite storage, and of course, visitor parking for guests as well. Located just minutes from Costco, Walmart Supercentre, Cineplex, Dental, Auto Repair, Banking, and a vast selection of restaurants to fit whatever your craving, this property is tough to beat! With easy access to Stoney Trail, 17th Ave, and Deerfoot Trail, getting around for work or out to the mountains for play is a breeze! Call today to book your private viewing!More details
BACK ON THE MARKET DUE TO BUYER'S FINANCING FELL THROUGH---Fabulous location for this top floor 2-bedroom 1 bathroom condo ready for a quick possession. This sunny unit features an open concept living area complete with 2 bedrooms with a large closet with custom built ins and one full 4 pc bathroom. The functional kitchen provides fabulous workspace for the chef, large living room with access to the WEST facing balcony. The living space is perfect for gatherings the condo has a very convenient bonus of a laundry room + separate storage room. Off the living room through a large set of glass sliding door you'll find your private outdoor balcony with plenty of room for a BBQ and seating. Parking spots and great visitor parking. Great location near Deerfoot for ease of commute and super close to shopping and transit, and downtown! This well managed complex offers reasonable condo fees and is a must to see. Great rental or first-time buyer. A must to see, Call Today!More details
Welcome to AMANA COURT. Top floor corner 2 bedroom unit faces west. Corner balcony and attached single unit parking with indoor storage. Open plan design with west exposure. Low condo fees $225.00 monthly. Insuite laundry. The home shows well. Close to all amenities, shops, buses, restaurants and more.More details
This bright and cute move-in-ready townhome offers quick possession with 947 sqft of livable space—two spacious bedrooms with walk-in closets, a four-piece bath. The dining room and kitchen adjoin to the huge main-floor living area leading to your patio door and your private balcony. This lovely unit has a charming front yard, an assigned parking stall out back, and additional street parking and is part of a well-managed complex with low monthly fees. It is located steps away from 3 schools, Radisson Park Elementary School, Holy Family School and Sir Wilfred Laurier Junior High. Walking distance to Marlborough Mall and Franklin C-Train Station. Minutes to downtown, or you can take the new Max BRT ( Express Bus) route to downtown and quick access to Memorial Drive and Deerfoot Trail. Perfect for First-Time Buyers and Investors! Book a showing today!More details
Welcome to your new home in the BEAUTIFUL LAKE COMMUNITY OF MIDNAPORE! This NEWLY RENOVATED (2023) 2-bedroom main floor condo boasts an unbeatable location, just a SHORT WALK FROM the FISH CREEK C-TRAIN STATION AND FISH CREEK PROVINCIAL PARK. Step inside and be greeted by an inviting open-concept layout with NEW ENGINEERED HARDWOOD FLOORS, NEW CARPETS, PAINT and BASEBOARDS. The HIGH CEILINGS create a spacious feeling, while the large windows allow ample NATURAL LIGHT. Imagine sipping your morning coffee or unwinding after a long day on your WEST FACING PATIO sheltered by large evergreen trees. The well-appointed kitchen features stainless steel appliances, maple cabinetry offering both style and functionality. With TITLED UNDERGROUND PARKING, you'll have peace of mind knowing your vehicle is secure and protected from the elements. Living in the sought-after LAKE COMMUNITY OF MIDNAPORE means you'll have access to an array of amenities, including shopping, dining, parks, and recreational activities. Take advantage of the nearby Fish Creek Provincial Park, a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Don't miss this opportunity to own a beautiful condo in Midnapore, where you can enjoy the convenience of an excellent location, the comfort of modern features, and the luxury of a lake community lifestyle. Only 15 minute walk to Superstore and Shawnessy C-Train Station GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY! SCHEDULE A VIEWING TODAY and make this your new home sweet home! MONTHLY CONDO FEES INCLUDE ALL UTILITES (EXCEPT ELECTRICITY) PLUS LAKE ACCESS!More details
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Real Estate Tips
Home Inspections: 20 Points to Consider
10 Reasons You Shouldn’t Skip A Home Inspection
After your offer to buy a home enters into contract, there are few necessary costs, such as lawyer fees, and the total of these expenses may have you looking for ways to save money elsewhere. You may be tempted to skip the home inspection and its $200 to $500 invoice, but there are 10 good reasons why you should get one.
1. It Provides an “Out”
A quality home inspection can reveal critical information about the condition of a home and its systems. This makes the buyer aware of what costs, repairs and maintenance the home may require immediately, and over time. If a buyer isn’t comfortable with the findings of the home inspection, it usually presents one last opportunity to back out of the offer to buy. (This step is important when purchasing a property because it may save you thousands.)
2. Safety A home inspection can detect safety issues like radon, carbon monoxide, and mold, which all homes should be tested for. Make sure that your home-buying contract states that should such hazards be detected, you have the option to cancel the offer to buy.
3. Reveal Illegal Additions or Installations
A home inspection can reveal whether rooms, altered garages or basements were completed without a proper permit, or did not follow code. “If a house has illegal room additions that are un-permitted, it affects the insurance, taxes, usability and most of all the overall value. In essence, a buyer is purchasing something that legally does not exist.” Even new homes with systems that were not installed to code will become the new homeowners’ financial “problem” to fix (and finance).
4. Protection Home inspections are even more critical if you are buying an “as-is” foreclosed property or short sale. Dwellings that have been boarded often develop hazardous mold problems, which are costly to remedy and pose health concerns. It’s common for home inspectors to find that copper plumbing lines and outdoor compressors have been removed from foreclosed properties by people trying to sell copper to recyclers for money.
5. Negotiating Tool The home inspection report presents an opportunity to ask for repairs and/or request a price reduction or credit from the seller. Work with your realtor to understand what requests can and should be made to negotiate a better deal.
6. Forecast Future Costs
A home inspector can approximate the installation age of major systems in the home like plumbing, heating and cooling, and critical equipment like water heaters. They can diagnose the current condition of the structure itself, and tell you how long finishes have been in the home. All components in the home have a “shelf-life.” Understanding when they require replacement can help you make important budgeting decisions, and it will determine when repairs or updates will be required and what type of home insurance coverage or warranties you should consider.
7. Determine “Deal-Breakers” Home inspections can help buyers identify how much additional money or effort they are willing and able to spend to take the home to a condition that is personally acceptable. If you are unwilling to repair issues like faulty gutters, cracked walls or ceilings, perhaps you are not ready to end your home buying search.
8. Learn to Protect Your Investment The home inspector is a valuable educational resource. He or she can suggest specific tips on how to maintain the home, and ultimately save you thousands of dollars in the long term, according to.
9. Reveal the Big Picture People use the home inspection to understand the nuances of what may be the biggest purchase they ever make. “People fall in love with a piece of property based on the color of the walls, the location of the home, or something else; they are completely blind to the issues that can make that dream home a nightmare.”
10. Insurance
Some insurance companies will not insure a home if certain conditions are found, or without the presence of certifications “Qualified home inspectors can do these things at the same time as their other services and save the home buyer time and money in the long run.”
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10 Things Home Inspectors Will Not Tell You
1. “Your idea of a home inspection isn’t necessarily the same as mine.” You’ve found the home of your dreams. But cautious consumer that you are, you want a home inspector to take a look at it before you buy. That way, you’ll be forewarned about any defects or problems, right? Not necessarily. A home inspector’s job is to conduct a visual examination of the physical condition of the house and certain systems within it. The key word here is “visual.” That means home inspectors don’t have to remove carpets to make sure the floors aren’t warped, for example, or drill into walls to check for insulation.
Sure, they’ll eyeball your water system for observable leaks or plugged-up drains, but don’t count on them to check the septic tank or underground pipes. Most homes have imperfections, and inspectors probably won’t catch everything. They’re looking for major defects — electricity that’s not grounded, air-conditioning or heating systems that are operating in an unsafe manner.
There are things an inspector can’t do. “You can’t see what’s buried under insulation in the attic, you can’t check the pipes that are underground,” says Barry Stone, a certified home inspector in San Luis Obispo County, Calif.,
2. “I’m not climbing up on your roof.”
Amazingly, the eyeball rule applies even to the roof. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), a professional organization with around 5,000 members whose guidelines have been adopted as the industry standard, says its member inspectors must “observe” the roof, but it doesn’t say they actually have to go up there. Even some veteran home inspectors think inspectors should closely check the roof. “A really bad roof can look good from the ground. When you see it at an acute angle, you don’t always see the defect. But when looking straight down, you can see it better,” Stone says. An inspector can make excuses for not getting to the roof, saying it’s fragile or slippery. But there are often ways around those hurdles. Stone says you could set up a ladder to look at the roof without actually stepping on it. Or if you stand far enough away from the house, you can get a better perspective by using high-powered binoculars.
Stone recommends asking an inspector how he checks the roof before hiring him. If he won’t go up, for whatever reason, you might want to try someone else.
3. “Training? What training?” As a rule, who do you think faces more stringent licensing requirements, manicurists or home inspectors? While many home inspectors have years of experience that make them experts at what they do, the only credential some can boast is an ad in the Yellow Pages. In fact, 16 states, including California, still have no regulations for home inspectors, and even those that do don’t always require much in the way of training.
So if you can’t rely on licensing credentials, what should you look for in a home inspector? Finding someone with years of experience is most important, so always ask a prospective inspector how many years he’s been doing this work, Stone says. “No school can teach you to be a good home inspector. They can teach you the rudiments of beginning your apprenticeship, but it takes years to become really good at finding defects,” he says. And while ASHI accreditation is no guarantee, the group’s members do have to pass a national home inspector exam and have 250 inspections under their belt, says David Tamny, ASHI’s current president.
4. “I’m more loyal to your real-estate agent than I am to you.” Since many prospective homebuyers are new in town, they naturally turn to their real-estate agent to recommend a home inspector.
It often makes sense to hire an inspector who comes recommended by your agent. After all, they are familiar with the inspectors who work in their areas. There are agents who will refer the best inspector to their clients. But there are other agents who don’t want to work with those inspectors because they’re known as “deal breakers” — they find defects in homes that end up scaring off buyers and scuttling the deal
5. “Oh, you want a real home inspection. Well, that’s gonna cost you.” The checklist for a standard home inspection, which starts around $300 to $400, may seem to cover all the basics — but watch out: Even ASHI-approved inspectors aren’t required to look for problems with kitchen appliances, fire and lawn sprinkler systems, septic systems, lead paint, radon gas, smoke detectors, (noncentral) air conditioners, pests, and geological and soil conditions. These “extras” nearly always add to your bill.
Still, if the house you’re considering isn’t connected to city water and sewers, for example, it’s essential to inspect the septic system. (Some states, such as Massachusetts, require it.) And depending on your location, you may also need geologic or seawall testing.
Although they’re not required to do so, some inspectors will check your appliances. Others, such as Stone, will inspect sprinklers. But for a thorough septic system inspection, which is a very involved job, you would want a specialist. “You have to empty the whole thing and you need to get a septic contractor to do that. The only way you can really inspect it is to pump it out. That’s outside the scope of home inspector’s work,” Stone says.
A radon check, for example, will add $75 to $175 to the baseline price of an inspection. A test for asbestos can be an extra $50.
6. “New house? New experience for me.”
It might surprise you, but just because a home is newly constructed doesn’t mean it’s problem-free. “Some 15% of the new homes I see have serious structural problems,” says Paul King, a home inspector in the Charlotte, N.C., area. And some home inspectors simply have limited experience with new construction. (Of the 3.6 million homes sold in 2009, about 374,000, or roughly 11%, were new.)
And while each home should be checked for the same problems and defects, there are differences that make new constructions more difficult to inspect that existing homes, says King. A new home has no history to it. The water was never run, so small drip leaks may not have shown up just yet. And depending on how the weather was during construction, the roof might not have experienced rainfall. “So finding a roof leak in a new construction may be hard to detect,” King says.
7. “I don’t guarantee my work.”For many prospective homebuyers, a thumbs-up from a home inspector is the last bit of reassurance they need before they sign on the dotted line. That can be a mistake. When homebuyers get an inspection, they often expect that to be some sort of insurance policy, says Norman Becker, one of the founders of ASHI and author of “The Complete Book of Home Inspection.” Good inspectors should be able to pick up on evidence of problems — like a moldy odor or a rusted furnace — but they can’t detect everything. A home inspection is merely a snapshot of a house’s condition at a given moment. It’s not a prediction for when a system (a boiler, for instance) might fail or when a structural component might fall apart. A typical roof lasts about 20 years, says Becker. If your roof is 14 years old, an inspector can’t necessarily say yours is going to last six more years, but he can alert the buyers to the typical life span of the equipment. A good home inspector should be able to give homebuyers a feel as to what costs are associated with certain items in the future, Becker says.
8. “Why would I want to have insurance?” Many home inspectors agree that it’s important to carry general liability insurance that covers them if, say, their ladder accidentally falls through a plate-glass window. But they’re hardly unanimous when it comes to errors-and-omissions insurance — E&O, for short — the malpractice or professional liability coverage for home inspectors. E&O covers home inspectors who are proved negligent in their work — if they sign off on a heating system, for example, when the house has no furnace. The problem is that while some see E&O as a marketing advantage, others see it as an invitation to a lawsuit. They think they’re seen as having deep pockets, and some inspectors don’t get the insurance just for that reason. “I think it’s too risky without the insurance,” Stone says. He recommends that homebuyers hire inspectors who have insurance. “But on other hand, I know some great inspectors who don’t have it,” he says.
9. “Building codes aren’t my job.”
It’s a rare homebuyer who knows the finer points of his city’s or Provinces building code. But, hey, that’s what hiring a home inspector is for, right? Well, not quite. Just ask Elaine Arabatzis. Arabatzis hired a home inspector to investigate a house she was about to close on. The inspector dutifully pointed out a few things that needed fixing: A drain was clogged; the air-conditioning filters needed to be cleaned. But what the inspector failed to report was that a family-room addition to the 27-year-old, three-bedroom house had been constructed improperly — with just one electrical outlet in the entire room, short of what the code required. When Arabatzis complained, however, the company told her they hadn’t been hired to inspect for code compliance. And indeed, the home-inspection report clearly states that the company is not responsible for code compliance.
Nevertheless, facing an estimated $30,000 repair to bring the addition up to code, Arabatzis thought she hadn’t gotten what she paid for and sued the now-defunct home inspection company and the inspector who wrote up her report. (Three years later the parties reached a confidential settlement.) If a home inspector were to look at every building code situation in addition to what he normally does, one day wouldn’t be enough to do the inspection, Becker says. But if an inspector sees a new addition on a house or a new deck, he should recommend that the buyer to check to see whether there is a certificate of occupancy for that addition. If there is a certificate of occupancy, that means the building inspector checked it and approved it
10. “I’ve been known to cause more damage than I find.”
It can happen to anyone — you bump into the china cabinet and Grandma’s plate falls down. Some might say that causing some damage in a home is an occupational hazard that comes with being a home inspector. Technically, the inspection consists of a visual examination of the home, but that’s not entirely realistic. “We have to touch stuff,” says Bruce Ramsey, a home inspector in Raleigh, N.C. True, a thorough house checkup requires hands-on poking and prying — and a little cosmetic damage is a small price to pay for knowing what shape your dwelling is in. But an inspector who damages woodwork or light fixtures should offer to pay for the repair. The Inspector is a guest in the house, Inspectors generally shouldn’t be taking things apart or fixing them. In the course of an inspection, someone might need to move things around. But if everything is put together properly, there shouldn’t be any breaks or nicks. They must be ever so cautious.
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