I have personally been on over 1,200 home inspections throughout my real estate career. I have learned so much and it never ceases to amaze me how  much you can learn from this experience.  I am still learning!  It is critical that every buyer have a home inspection whenever they buy a house or townhouse.  It is an education into the workings of the mechanicals, plumbing and electric of the home.  A buyer buys a home assuming it is in good working order.  If the home inspection reveals that it is not, then it is up to the seller and buyer to address any repair issues.  Make sure you use a licensed home inspector whenever you have a homeinspection on a home or townhome. The inspector should test the HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical.  The home isnpection is also meant to inform the buyer about normal maintenance items that should be addressed in the future.  Like caulking around tub and tile work; remembering to turn off the water to the washer and dryer at the main valve (I never remember this); or even how to unclog a garbage disposal.  I learned that one from a home inspection last week!  What a buyer should NOT do however is expect the seller to bring the home up to today’s standards or codes.  If the code has changed since the home was built and there is no hazardous or safety issue then the buyer should tuck that issue in the back of their minds in case that issue should need repair or maintenance in the future.  One such issue I am having with 2 of my townhouse listings is the distance that the microwave is above the stove.  The home inspector says it should be a minimum of 18 inches.  Mine are 16 and 17 inches respectively.  Both buyers want the seller to move up the microwave!  The code for microwave clearance in 1984 was different than today.  Both these microwaves vent to the outside and that was how they were originally installed and the townhouse received approval from the town back then.  The buyers should not expect the seller to get in a qualified kitchen installer to redirect the micorwave.  Another issue I am having:  One of my listings had a jetted tub in the master bath without an access panel to the motor.  Today when jetted tubs are installed it is code to install an access panel to the motor.  That was not the case in 1984 yet the buyer wanted an access panel installed for the jetted tub. That was not the code then so the buyer should accept that.  However, if they replace the jetted tub in the future, they will need to put in an access panel to the motor in order to be properly approved by the town.  Oh, and if you have a window above the tub — today it must be tempered glass.  When the townhouse was built that was not the code.  Don’t expect the seller to replace it.  I wrote another blog about home warranties a while ago.  Older homes should offer it to the buyer.  However if say the  furnace is original and it is working and that was disclosed to the buyer on the Sellers Disclosure, a buyer should not expect the seller to replace it if the home inspector says it is at the end of its life and should be replaced in the near future.  Because this was disclosed, the buyer should have taken this into consideration with their original offering price.

I could go on and on with my experiences and I realize it is still a buyer’s market out there but I wish the buyers would be more reasonable.  They usually negotiate a pretty good price for themselves yet when it comes to the home inspection issues they want every minor maintenance issue repaired or a hefty credit that far exceeds the actual cost of the repair items.  Sellers are willing to resolve these issues fairly in most cases but there are times when a deal falls apart because the buyer gets greedy and the seller finally just says no.

If everyone just plays fair and realizes they are not buying a new townhouse and they can’t expect everything to be perfect then everyone will live happily ever after!

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