Lots of homeowners spend ample amounts of time and money getting their homes all fixed up before trying to sell them. Not everyone has the time or money to spend on that though. That often leads to the decision to sell the home as-is. Selling as-is means the seller doesn’t intend to repair the home before selling it; you’ll purchase it in its current condition. That means that getting it professionally inspected is more important than ever.
Understanding the Home's Condition
It’s always a good idea to know what condition a home is in before you buy it. A house is usually the single most expensive purchase people make throughout their lives. Given how much you’ll spend on the property, you don’t want to get stuck in a home full of unpleasant surprises. Even if you’re totally fine with a fixer-upper home, it’s only fair to know what condition it’s in so you know what to expect and what you’ll need to fix after you buy the property.
Verifying the Seller's Disclosure
Homeowners who sell as-is have a legal obligation to provide a buyer with a written disclosure regarding the condition of the property in most states. Unfortunately, not all buyers are as thorough in disclosing problems with the property as they should be. Having a professional inspection done can both verify the disclosure you’ve been given and fill in any blanks that might exist.
Dealing with Discovered Defects
If you purchase a home as-is and then discover defects after everything has been finalized, a professional home inspector may still be able to help you out. They can review the disclosure and may be able to identify problems that the seller knew about or should have known about before the home was sold. If the seller is guilty of misrepresentation or concealment of defects, you may be able to hold them accountable for getting the problems resolved.
Selling a home as-is has the potential to save the seller a fair amount of time and money, depending on the condition the home is in. It could potentially save you some money as the buyer too since you should consider the home’s condition when making your offer. Get it professionally inspected so you can make an informed decision about the home you’re considering before you close the deal.
Are you considering purchasing a home as-is? Get it inspected first! Click here to schedule your inspection with Behind The Scenes Home Inspections today!