When you’re buying or selling a home, a home inspection is a way to provide peace of mind. While a home inspection is especially important for buyers, sellers can also benefit from setting up a home inspection.
While home inspections usually aren’t mandatory, they are a protective measure for both buyer and seller. However, after a home inspection and receiving a house inspection report, what happens if the home needs repairs?
It’s common for some issues to arise after the home inspection. After all, it’s rare for any house to be without some wear and tear, and even completely new homes might have minor issues.
So, when you receive a home inspection report, is anybody responsible to pay for the repairs? In this guide from Sell Your House Fast Kansas City, we review what’s included in an inception report and what happens if repairs are a necessity.
What Happens During A Home Inspection?
Most of the time, a home inspection isn’t necessary to purchase a home. However, many buyers will request a home inspection before following through on the sale.
The buyer or seller can hire a certified home inspector to visually inspect the entire house. During the inception, the trained inspector will look at:
- Plumbing
- Major appliance
- Roofing
- Walls
- Flooring
- HVAC systems
- Basements & attics
Home inspectors will then compile the results in the form of an inspection report.
What’s Included in An Inspection Report?
After the house inspection, you’ll receive a detailed report that goes over any safety hazards or repairs. These can be minor repairs, such as paint chipping, to significant repairs like a poorly constructed roof.
While most people hire a home inspector to assess the entire home, it’s also possible to have a home inspection on specific areas of a house, such as the plumbing.
The inspection report doesn’t include any opinions about the price of the home, and the inspector isn’t supposed to suggest anything related to repair costs. Instead, they try to give an objective overview of the state of the property.
Mandatory Repairs After A Home Inspection
As you look through the home inspection report and notice issues found in the inspection, you may wonder if the seller has a responsibility to make the repairs. Generally, it’s not mandatory after a home inspection for the seller to make repairs or cover the cost of repairs.
But there are some inspections to this. In many states, certain major repairs have to be fixed before the home can be sold. Otherwise, the property won’t be eligible for a home loan.
Which Fixes Are Mandatory?
It’s difficult to say exactly which repair request must be made by the seller. It varies greatly depending on where you live and the home loan lender. In some cases, the fixes are mandatory, but the seller doesn’t have to pay for them.
Generally, however, the following issues need to be fixed if they are revealed by a house inspection:
- Issues with the structural integrity of the house
- Mold or water damage
- Issues with the electrical system
- Pest infestations
- Code violations
- Fire damage
- Dead trees around the property
The best way to know which fixes are mandatory is to look up the laws in your state. You can also ask for advice from a real estate agent. If you are working with a real estate agent, they should advise you on what to do when major repairs arise for the home.
Does The Homeowner Have To Pay For Other Repairs?
As mentioned above, most issues revealed from the home inspection don’t have to be addressed by the current homeowner. However, there are good reasons for the seller to make repairs after a home inspection.
For one thing, the buyer might back out of the sale completely if the cost of repairs is too high or if the damage means the house isn’t worth as much money.
For another, the seller might not want to go through the process again with a new potential buyer. So, it’s important to keep in mind these factors, including whether it’s a seller’s or buyer’s market.
Negotiations After A House Inspection
After the results of a home inspection, it’s often necessary to go back to negotiations. If you’re a buyer, it’s a good idea to include a house inspection contingency clause before ever signing an original contract. This contingency will make it easier to get a better deal or to back out of the sale after the home inspection.
Still, home buyers also have some power in these negotiations. If it’s a competitive seller’s market, you might not have to pay for the repairs after a home inspection or make as many concessions.
Selling A Home Fast After A Home Inspection
If you’re trying to sell your home quickly and don’t want to be the one who pays for repairs, it’s often easiest to skip working with a real estate agent altogether.
In fact, you can skip the home inspection process all together and avoid dealing with fixes that are mandatory after a home inspection. Reach out today to learn how.
Contact Sell Your House Fast Kansas City To Get Started!
Whether you’re looking to sell a home that needs big repairs or buy a fixer-upper property, Sell Your House Fast Kansas City is here to assist you.
If you have a property that has fire damage or that you need to sell quickly, we provide cash offers for homes. We can purchase your home as-is, so you don’t have to go through a lengthy home inspection process or pay a real estate agent.
Contact us to learn more or get started with your very own cash offer.
