For Your Protection: Get a Home Inspection
You must make a choice on getting a Home Inspection. It is not done automatically.
You have the right to examine carefully your potential new home with a professional home inspector.
But a home inspection is not required by law, and will occur only if you ask for one and make the
arrangements. You may schedule the inspection for before or after signing your contract. You may be
able to negotiate with the seller to make the contract contingent on the results of the inspection.
For this reason, it is usually in your best interest to conduct your home inspection as soon as
possible i f you want one. In a home inspection, a professional home inspector takes an in-depth,
unbiased look at your potential new home to:
An appraisal estimates the market value of the home to protect the lender. An apprais al does not
examine or evaluate the condition of the home to protect the homebuyer. An appraisal only makes
sure that that the home meets FHA and/or your lender’s minimum property standards. A home
inspection provides much more detail.
FHA and Lenders may not Guarantee the Condition of your Potential New Home
If you find problems with your new home after closing, neither FHA nor your lender may give or lend
you money for repairs. Additionally, neither FHA nor your lender may buy the home back from you.
Ask a qualified home inspector to inspect your potential new home and give you the information you
need to make a wise decision.
Your Home Inspector may test for Radon, Health/Safety, and Energy Efficiency
EPA, HUD and DOE recommend that houses be tested and inspected for radon, health and safety, and
energy efficiency, respectively. Specific tests are available to you. You may ask about tests with
your home inspector, in addition to the structural and mechanical systems inspection.
For more information:
Radon -- call 1-800-SOS-Radon;
Health and Safety – see the HUD Healthy Homes Program at www.HUD.gov;
Energy Efficiency -- see the DOE EnergyStar Program at www.energystar.gov.
You must make a choice on getting a Home Inspection. It is not done automatically.
You have the right to examine carefully your potential new home with a professional home inspector.
But a home inspection is not required by law, and will occur only if you ask for one and make the
arrangements. You may schedule the inspection for before or after signing your contract. You may be
able to negotiate with the seller to make the contract contingent on the results of the inspection.
For this reason, it is usually in your best interest to conduct your home inspection as soon as
possible i f you want one. In a home inspection, a professional home inspector takes an in-depth,
unbiased look at your potential new home to:
- Evaluate the physical condition: structure, construction, and mechanical systems;
- Identify items that need to be repaired and
- Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structure, and finishes.
An appraisal estimates the market value of the home to protect the lender. An apprais al does not
examine or evaluate the condition of the home to protect the homebuyer. An appraisal only makes
sure that that the home meets FHA and/or your lender’s minimum property standards. A home
inspection provides much more detail.
FHA and Lenders may not Guarantee the Condition of your Potential New Home
If you find problems with your new home after closing, neither FHA nor your lender may give or lend
you money for repairs. Additionally, neither FHA nor your lender may buy the home back from you.
Ask a qualified home inspector to inspect your potential new home and give you the information you
need to make a wise decision.
Your Home Inspector may test for Radon, Health/Safety, and Energy Efficiency
EPA, HUD and DOE recommend that houses be tested and inspected for radon, health and safety, and
energy efficiency, respectively. Specific tests are available to you. You may ask about tests with
your home inspector, in addition to the structural and mechanical systems inspection.
For more information:
Radon -- call 1-800-SOS-Radon;
Health and Safety – see the HUD Healthy Homes Program at www.HUD.gov;
Energy Efficiency -- see the DOE EnergyStar Program at www.energystar.gov.
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