frisco home inspection

Question: Last summer, we purchased “as is” a home in Show Low. We had a frisco home inspection that was satisfactory to us.

In the fall, when we turned on the furnace, we discovered that there was no ductwork leading from the furnace to the vents. When I telephoned the seller to complain, he said that he never used the furnace because he knew that the home had no ductwork. He said that he relied on the fireplace and space heaters during the winter months.

After I told the seller that we wanted to use the furnace, and that we expected him to pay for the ductwork, the seller said that we purchased the home “as is.” The cost to install the ductwork will be approximately $1,500.

Does the seller have any liability to us for this $1,500?

Answer: Yes. Even though a home is being sold “as is,” a seller is still required to disclose any known latent defects in the home.

The lack of ductwork from the furnace to the vents was a known latent defect. You should file a complaint against the seller in the small-claims division of Justice Court. The small-claims division has jurisdiction of disputes up to $2,500 and is similar to Judge Judy’s television courtroom, with no attorneys and no appeals.

Reach real-estate attorney Christopher Combs at azrep@combslawgroup.com.

Most home buyers feel like they are bona fide real
estate experts after all the studying up on loans and neighborhoods,
online house hunting and open house visiting it takes just to get into
contract on a home these days. But for all but the most handy of house
hunters, getting into contract and starting the frisco home inspection process
only surfaces how little you actually know about the nuts and bolts and
brick and mortar of the massive investment you’re about to make: a home!
 

So,
you hire a home inspector, but it seems like they’re speaking an
entirely different language – riddled with terms like “serviceable
condition” and “conducive to deterioration” – about your dream home!
 Here are 5 questions you can use to decode your home inspector’s
findings into knowledge you can use to make smart decisions as a
homebuyer – and homeowner.

1.  How bad is it – really?  The
best home inspectors are pretty even keeled, emotionally speaking.
 They’re not alarmists that blow little things up into big ones, nor do
they try to play down the importance of things.  They’re all about the
facts.  But sometimes, that straightforwardness makes it hard for you,
the home’s buyer, to understand what’s a big deal and what isn’t so much
– the information you need to know whether to move forward with the
deal, whether to renegotiate and what to plan ahead for.  

I’ve
seen things categorized in frisco home inspection reports under “Health and
Safety Hazards” that cost less than $100 to fix, like replacing a faucet
that has hot and cold reversed.  And I’ve seen one-liners in inspection
reports, like “extensive earth-to-wood contact” result, after further
inspection, in foundation repair bids pricier than the whole cost of the
home!  

In
many states, home inspectors are not legally able to provide you with a
repair bid, but if you attend the inspection and simply ask them
whether or not something they say needs fixing is a big deal, nine times
out of ten they will verbally give you the information you need to
understand the degree to which the issue is a serious problem (or not).

2.  Who should I have fix that?
 I always ask this question of home inspectors, with dual motives.
 First, very often, the inspector’s response is – “What do you mean?
 You don’t need to pay someone to fix that.  Go down to Home Depot, pick
up a ___fill in the blank__, and here’s how you pop it in.  Should cost
you $15 – tops.”  And that’s useful information to know – it eliminates
the horror of a laundry list of  repairs and maintenance items at the
end of an inspection report to know that a number of them are really
DIY-type maintenance items.  Even buyers who are really uncomfortable
doing these things themselves then feel empowered to either (a) watch a
few YouTube vids that show them how it’s done, or (b) hire a handyperson
to do these small fixes, knowing they shouldn’t be too terribly costly.

And
even on the larger repairs, your home inspector might be able to give
you a few referrals to the plumbers, electricians or roofers you’ll need
to get bids from during your contingency period, which you may be able
to use to negotiate with your home’s seller, and to get the work done
after you own the place.  Dropping the inspector’s name might get you an
appointment booked with the urgency you need it in order to get your
repair bids and estimates in hand before your contingency or objection
period expires.

And
same goes for any further inspections they recommend – if neither you
nor your agent knows a specialist, as the general home inspector for a
few referrals.

3.  If this was your house, what would you fix, and when?
 Your home inspector’s job is to point out everything, within the scope
of the inspection, that might need repair, replacement, maintenance or
furthe inspection – or seems like it might be on it’s last leg.  But
they also tend to be experienced enough with homes to know that no home
is perfect.  Many times, I’ve asked this question about an item the
inspector described as “at the end of its serviceable lifetime” and had
them say, “I wouldn’t do a thing to it.  Just know that it could break
in the next 5 months, or in the next 5 years.  And keep your home
warranty in effect, because that should cover it when it does break.”

This question positions your home inspector to help you:

• understand what does and doesn’t need to be repaired,
• prioritize the work you plan to do to your home (and budget or negotiate with the seller accordingly),
• get used to the constant maintenance that is part and parcel of homeownership, and
• understand the importance of having a home warranty plan.

4.  Can you point that out to me? Often,
when you attend the frisco home inspection, you’ll be multi-tasking, taking
pictures of the interior, measuring for drapes or furniture, even
meeting the neighbors, or fielding several inspectors at a time.  Worst
case scenario is to get home, open up the inspector’s report and have no
clue whatsoever what he or she was referring to when they called out
the wax ring that needs replacement or the temperature-pressure release
valve that is improperly installed.  

Your
best bet is to, at the end of the inspection, while you’re all still in
the property, just ask the inspector to take 10 or 15 minutes and walk
you through the place, pointing out all the items they’ve noted need
repair, maintenance or further inspection.  When you get the report,
then, you’ll know what and where the various items belong. (One more
best practice is to choose an inspector who takes digital pictures and
inserts them into their reports!)

5.  Can you show me how to work that? Many
home inspectors are delighted to show you how to operate various
mechanical or other systems in your home, and will walk you through the
steps of operating everything from your thermostat, to your water
heater, to your stove and dishwasher – and especially the emergency
shutoffs for your gas, water and electrical utilities.  This one single
item is such a time and stress saver it alone is worth the lost income
of missing a day of work to attend your inspections. 

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