Here are three good reasons for home buyers to insist on a professional home inspection before finalizing the deal:

•  First, a house inspection is the smartest way to ensure that the house doesn’t have any major flaws that may cost the buyer in the future.  A home inspection report should document and evaluate significant defects as well as safety concerns or potential threats regarding the property.

•  Second, house inspections are not the same thing as an estate agent’s or bank’s valuation. Unlike a valuation, which only provides an approximate indication of market value, a home inspection offers a detailed analysis of the actual condition of all the various components of the housing unit. A good home inspection  will usually include an examination of the roof, roof cavity, walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows, drainage, cupboards,  plumbing, electrical and gas installations systems, the visible portion of the foundations and exterior features such as paving, boundary walls and gates, swimming pools and lapas.

•  Lastly, a good home inspection is much more than just simply listing all the defects within a home. A home inspector should not only identify issues with the home but also suggest courses of remedial action and provide an indication of the potential costs. A home inspection should also identify any obvious violations of building regulations or laws. These types of problems are quite common in older homes, which were built prior to changes in building regulations. It is important for the home buyer to be aware of these deficiencies in order to make a more accurate decision on how to proceed.

Once the inspection is completed and a report provided, if there are significant problems with the home, HouseCheck recommends that the home buyer should then negotiate with the seller to either lower the sale price of the home, or agree how the problem will be addressed and fixed.  Alternatively the buyer must accept that despite the defects the price is fair.

Spending an extra few thousand Rands for a home inspection may seem like an avoidable expense, however, it really is the only sensible way to go for peace of mind and the avoidance of future legal complications and general unpleasantness.  This is why more and more professional estate agents are recommending a home inspection report  to buyers.   The information in this report balances the protection that the voetstoots clause gives to sellers.