As real estate professional I get asked a lot of questions. “Should I get an inspection done, when I buy a property?” is among the most frequently asked questions. Here is a simple answer – YES! YOU SHOULD GET AN INPECTION DONE WHEN BUYING REAL ESTATE! But what about brand new properties? Should you still get an inspection for brand new properties? If so, when should you do it?
The answer is YES! Even for the brand new house or a condo you should still hire an inspector. I am not some crazy “inspector employment advocate”. Experienced inspectors will be able to find hidden issues that might need attention, even in the brand new properties. If they don’t find anything, at least you will sleep better at night. That’s a scientific fact.
The question of “IF you should get an inspection?”, becomes “WHEN should you get an inspection?”. Brand new properties can be either move-in ready, under construction or in the development stages.
If the house or a condo is under construction or in the development stages the only time you will be able to hire an inspector is for the final deficiency report (also referred to as “walk-through”).
The deficiency report or the final walk-through is 1-3 hours inspection booked off for you and the developer to walk through the property and look for deficiencies. This date is usually set about a month prior to the completion date. All of the deficiencies found should be fixed before the completion date at the expense of the builder/developer. Ask your real estate agent about appropriate subjects to include in your contract. Feel free to contact me as well.
The walk-through is a great time to hire an inspector. He or she will be able to point out hidden deficiencies and save you time and money in the long run. As a curtesy let the developer (or selling agent) know that you will be hiring an inspector for a final walk through.
If the new property is move-in ready, I suggest adding an inspection clause into your offer, if possible. This way you will have 5-10 days to schedule the inspection and make sure that there are no hidden problems with the property before committing to the purchase. Ask your real estate agent about “the inspection subject”.
If the inspection is not possible before subjects’ removal (or you don’t inspection subject in your offer), you can still hire an inspector for the final walk-through. The same rules apply as before.
When buying real estate, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Always hire a professional inspector even when buying brand new construction.