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Hey everyone, welcome back! I’m Lindsay, with the Wise Move AZ Team at Realty ONE Group.  If you want to stay up to date on all things Anthem and real estate then you need to subscribe to our YouTube Channel.  Pro Tip:  You’re also going to want to hit that little bell icon, while you’re there, so that you’re the first to know when our new videos are posted every single Thursday!

As your Anthem, Arizona REALTOR® I love helping people navigate the home buying and selling process, and one big part of that is making the most of your inspection period.  If you’ve been considering buying, stick around as I take a look at what inspections you need to consider, to avoid buying a property lemon… DUN, DUN, DUN!

At the end of this post I’ll also give you access to a copy of our ‘Top 10 Questions to ask a Home Inspector BEFORE Hiring Them’.  Because, well, as you’ll find out, your inspector is a very important part of your home buying team! So, stick around.

Inspection Periods in Arizona

Here in Arizona, unless otherwise negotiated, you have 10 days from the time of contract acceptance to get all desired inspections completed.  So, with your REALTOR’s® help, you’re going to want to get all of your inspections done as quickly as possible.

Buyer Advisory

As a buyer, your REALTOR® (hopefully that’s us) will have you sign off on what is called a Buyer Advisory. This is a SUPER HELPFUL resource for buyers that talks about the importance of inspections, and other key considerations when purchasing a home.  I’m not going to dwell on the Buyer Advisory in today’s post because we did an entire video on it earlier this year.  You can click to watch that here.

Inspections 

There are a TON of different inspections you can have done on your home!  But, of course, these inspections cost money, so most home buyers won’t opt to do all them.

Typically, the first thing you’re going to have done is a Professional Property Inspection.  Your REALTOR® will be able to recommend a couple of qualified inspectors for you to choose from and will be able to help with scheduling the inspections.

“An inspection is a visual physical examination, performed for a fee, designed to identify material defects in the property”.  

The inspector will usually meet with you after the inspection is completed to go through their findings.  The inspector will also provide you with a detailed report of their findings within a day or two. From this report you will have an idea of what defects may exist within the property, and what, if any, other inspections are recommended.

Common Inspections:

The other inspections that are quite common here in Arizona, include:

1. Wood destroying insects inspection: AKA a termite inspection. This should be done in conjunction with your home inspection but requires a qualified termite inspector.  Your general home inspector will probably even be willing to schedule this for you!
2. Pool Inspection:  Your general home inspector will look at the pool, but a certified pool inspector may be necessary if your general inspector finds anything of concern.
3. Roof Inspection: This is particularly important if the roof is 10 years of age or older, or if the general inspector sees something concerning while they are up there.  Monsoon season in Arizona is real and you don’t want to find out you have broken or slipped tiles causing a leak in the middle of a storm.. trust me!
4. HVAC Inspection: This is important if you have concerns about the manner in which the HVAC system has been maintained or if it is 10 years old or more. HVAC systems can last a really long time if they are properly maintained, but you want to know what you’re buying, right?  You may also want to have your REALTOR® request service records for the HVAC Systems so that you know if they’ve been well taken care of…. Or not!

Less Common Inspections:

Those are the more common inspections, the following are less common and really depend on the home you are looking to buy.  Your REALTOR® will be able to help you determine if these apply to you:

1. Irrigation Inspection: In Anthem most homes have under ground irrigation systems that water the plants.  As the homes get a little bit older in Anthem, I think this will become a bit more common.  This will test the irrigation system for leaks and any other problems that may exist with the system.
2. Septic Inspection: This applies only to homes that are not connected to a sewer system. In Anthem all the homes are connected to the sewer so really doesn’t apply to our Anthem buyers!
3. A Water/Well Inspection
4. A Soil Inspection
5. A Previous Flood/Fire Damage Inspection
6. A Pest Inspection

We could go on forever, but that’s enough for today.

We would love to be your REALTORs® of choice in Anthem and North Phoenix, and want you to know that if you do decide to work with us, we will help you navigate the inspection process and determine which inspections will most benefit you.   Once the inspections are complete we will also help you determine how to structure your BINSR to help you get as many of the defects repaired as reasonably possible.

If you would like to watch our video on BINSR Tips for Buyers, simply click here.

So, there you have it!  I hope this video has shed some light on the importance of the inspection period and what inspections you should consider when buying an Anthem home.

As promised, if you would like your copy of the Buyer Advisory or the 10 Questions to ask a Home Inspector before Hiring Them, simply click here and here, respectively!

See YOU, next Thursday!