There are many things a home warranty will not cover, such as structural issues, mold, wiring problems, etc. Spend the money and get a home inspection - it is usually less than $500 and well worth the money for your peace of mind.

If this is your first house purchase get a home inspection. Mention to the HI your concerns about the air conditioning, and have a HVAC person inspect it too.

We've bought many houses through the years and always had a home inspection and no major issues have shown up. One house was only 7 years old and was very well maintained and I turned to my hubby and said do we really need one on this home? He insisted we have one and I'm glad he did. Turns out both ac/furnace units were installed incorrectly without a drip pan between the ac unit and the furnace. The furnaces had rusted out to the point of being dangerous. That home inspection saved us thousands of dollars for new furnaces which the seller ended up replacing. I'm not so sure the home warranty would have covered these furnaces since it should have been found on inspection.

Warranties are often worthless...and filled with many hidden discalimers that can result in you footing expensive repair bills that you assumed would be covered.

Regardless...this is probably the biggest investment you will ever make...you don't want to play pin the tail on the donkey, hoping you make the right choice based upon blind luck.

Absolutely have a home inspection....it is such a tiny cost of the house itself, there is no reason to not have an inspection. There are many, many things that the GOOD HI will check...I have known many people who decided to not buy a house because of issues found through the inspection....issues that they were very surprised to learn.

Last but not least...with an owner who has to put the A/C on 52...knows it is still hot...but has not bothered to have it checked already...you have to wonder what else she may have let slide.

Buyer beware.

The warranty will not cover a pre-exiting condition. The A/C problem in this case is certainly a pre-existing condition. As logic said, she's already aware of this problem and hasn't fixed it. What else might be there?

The Home warranty only covers certain things as others have mentioned. What if there is a roof problem, or wood rot or mold etc. None of that is covered.

And standard home warranties don't cover AC - there is an extra fee for that. After you have the home inspected make sure that the seller is paying for AC coverage.

AC problem = Murphy's law. I wouldn't doubt it was something that just popped up. There are days when I say how hot it is in my house, of course the sun is beating in the front window. Can't get used to not having the 2 huge maples we took out 2 years ago.

Have the inspection. Let them check the AC. Hopefully, she will have it fixed by then

YES!

It could be that the A/C just needs a charge. It seemed every spring ours needed to be recharged. At least DH could do it himself, not everyone has the tools for it.
Kathy G in MI

I backed out of a house deal once because of what the HI discovered..leaky roof, structurally unstable garage, mysterious drain hole in basement (with a spring running under the house!), and much more...none of which was disclosed by the sellers in the disclosure. I find inspections to be well worth the money! Plus, you learn a lot of interesting things about your house.

That said, my mom has bought and sold many houses and has never had an HI done. In her current house, she's had plumbing problems, probably due to orangeburg, and she does now wish that she'd had an HI done. Having had two really great experiences with home inspectors--thorough inspections and thorough reports--there's no way I'd buy even a new house without a HI.

We have an warranty on our current house, purchased by the sellers (not at our request but as a "bonus" they offered to try to sell the house). We've reviewed the list of what it covers, and there are a lot of hoops we'd have to jump through to get something fixed or replaced, plus a high deductible ($100 per call). From what we can tell, the warranty company will try to have something fixed before they'll even think about replacing it. We really do not plan to ever use the warranty. We ARE planning to just replace items ourselves when they stop working.

"It could be that the A/C just needs a charge. It seemed every spring ours needed to be recharged. At least DH could do it himself, not everyone has the tools for it.
Kathy G in MI"

If an A/C needs a charge every year, chances are the freon is leaking because of some sort of defect that has occurred. Freon leaking into the atmosphere is an environmental concern.
Have the system thoroughly evaluated by a licensed HVAC professional to determine cause and repair.

FYI, our 8 year old unit just had the same issue; it was determined that the O-rings needed to be replaced; remember ther infamous O-rings that caused the fuel leak that led to the explosion of the space shuttle "Challenger"?

Your A/C won't explode...but they DO require proper maintenance...as they are not supposed to need a charge once a year if all is in proper state of operation.

She's trying to cool the house to 52 degrees? Is that a typo?

Always get a home inspection, no matter what - even in a bidding war situation. Never waive it. I even advise clients to do them on new construction and youw ould be surprised at what can turn up.

She's trying to cool the house to 52 degrees? Is that a typo?

She probably turned it down to 52 to try to get it to come on / get colder without luck.

I'd only pass on the inspection if you don't mind horribly expensive surprises when you can least afford it and with putting your largest single investment on the line.

How confident are you that you can make a good enough inspection of the home to notice things like a failing roof, termites damage in the house, dry rot, aging or poorly installed appliances, disconnected heating or cooling systems, poorly placed septic system?
The HI is really another set of eyes to tip you off to possible problems. IF you do find problems from the HI then you can call in the specalist to take a closer look.
Some banks require an HI for a loan.
Compared to what a house cost not getting an HI isn't very smart.
All that being said do not for a minute believe that a HI will uncover EVERY problem a house may have.
You have to do your homework too. Ask questions about things you see and don't let the homeowner wiggle out of answering them. Don't get so emotionally involved in a house you want to purchase that you miss the things that are wrong with it. Get as many sets of eyes as you can to take a second even a third look at the place.
Relatives who are in different parts of the trades plumbers, carpenters, electrians, GC's are great resources for going and doing a walk thru of a house you plan on buying. They can often see things you won't cause they are looking thru professional eyes AND they have nothing invested so they can be more critical.

Carol from NY offers good advice regarding relatives with experience. The buyers of our last house bypassed the HI. They were first-time buyers, but the father of one of them either works in construction or knows a lot about houses so the buyers didn't feel they needed or wanted a HI. Even so, we were surprised, but that was fine with us.

Thanks--I sure got the message. This is not a single family home, but a villa, so the association takes care of the roof and outer structure. We are also in FL and she does have a contract for termite control. Man, did I tell you I don't like moving?

Regardless, you still need the interior inspected!! It doesn't matter if it's a villa or not with the HOA caring for exterior. Make sure you write it into the contract!

I always thought a villa was a grand home on the Riviera.

In this context, is it a condo with a fancy name?

Even though the association repairs the exterior it doesn't mean the interior has been repaired if there ever was a leak etc. If there are any problems with plumbing or wiring etc.

patti43, if I had a dollar for every HOA that dropped the ball on the maintenance that they are SUPPOSED to be responsible for, or for performing slipshod, cosmetic maintenance only, or inferior maintenance in terms of materials used, I could retire.in STYLE!!

Assume NOTHING.

READ those by-laws VERY carefully, then have them reviewed by an attorney ...in order to determine what is and isn't their responsibility. I had a friend who had serious water damage form her HOA only making cosmetic repairs of the exterior roofing elements....and she had to foot the bill for her interior damage...all not-too-clearly spelled out in the by-laws...which she did not read until the problem occurred.

Just the other day I heard a story about a communal crawl space, under a row of attached condo town homes, so fraught with mold, water intrusion and electrical hazards that the place was an accident waiting to happen...and yes...this is COMMON space...that is supposed to be maintained by the HOA.

The bottom line is that exterior issues affect the INTERIOR. Anyone who ignores them as not being their problem is making a HUGE error.

That said...common elements of condo/villa/coop housing are generally not included in a home inspection. However, many HI's will inspect these areas if they directly impact on the unit in question.

That said, discuss this with the HI up front...and make sure that he will inspect the exterior for damage or maintenance deficiencies...if not, find one who will do so for you.

Susanjn, a "villa" is a fancy name for a townhouse in California. These are often called that in those developments with the clubhouse, etc. I assume this is the case in Florida, too.

Susanjn--here in Florida a villa is a one-story attached home usually with a garage. Townhouses here are usually 2-stories and may/may not have a garage. I guess it all depends on where you are. But you're right, it does sound fancy--woohoo! ;-0 Ain't we movin' up?

We just had a home inspection recently on a home we purchased and it was worth every penny. The inspector did a very thorough job, even checking each outlet to make sure they worked, ran the dishwasher, filled up the jacuzzi to make sure it worked, etc, etc. He was there for over 4 hours and did not do the inspection without my husband being right there with him every minute. We were very impressed with his thoroughness and his professional report. He did find some issues we would not have known about without the inspection.

downsouth, Your guy sounds great! We just had our new home inspected and our inspector asked that we NOT follow him around, and said several times that he was not a certified plumber, electrician, or roofer when he went over his findings at the end of his tour around.

Considering what his findings mean to a potential buyer shouldn't he have above-average knowledge of these things??? We had a roofer give an estimate at the same time the inspector there and the roofer was surprised at how little the guy knew about the very supports that framed the roof and held it up! Yikes!

Anyways, the inspector's closing statement was that the house was cute, and the appliances in the kitchen were dated but still worked, and that everything else looked okay, but he wasn't certified to really say so... As you can imagine we were puzzled. If an inspector is really just a jack of all trades, master of none, wouldn't the money spent on an inspection have been better spent paying a plumber, a roofer, an electrician, and an property assessor $100 bucks apiece to look around and give us a REAL idea of where our house stood?

Jane

Jane, my son recommended this guy to us (he didn't use him, but a friend did). The inspector sent my son's friend a 42 page detailed report, with pictures. This report just blew me away. This inspector asked my husband to tag along with him, and even gave him a Tyvek "suit" to wear when they went under the crawlspace.

In our garage, there was an area where part of the ceiling "popcorn" had fallen off. We just assumed this was where it got hot in the garage. This guy didn't assume anything. When they did the attic inspection, he went specifically to this spot to make sure there was no water damage.

When he turned the hot water on, the water heater leaked and he told us to call a plumber. My son fixed this problem with a new relief valve from Home Depot.

Sorry your home inspection wasn't quite up to par!

"As you can imagine we were puzzled. If an inspector is really just a jack of all trades, master of none, wouldn't the money spent on an inspection have been better spent paying a plumber, a roofer, an electrician, and an property assessor $100 bucks apiece to look around and give us a REAL idea of where our house stood?

Jane"

It is pretty much the same reason that you go to a general practitioner physician for a check upand, then only spend a wad of extra time and money to see
speciaists if he/she believes it to be warranted.

As far as a house is concerned, in theory it may sound good, but the reality is that this working in your favor is predicated on so many "ifs", it might as well be fantasy.
For starters, the major "if" would be if indeed each one would be willing to do so for a mere $100.00.....which I doubt...as they generally make more than that on repair/installation calls. They are after all, trades people...and not inspectors.

That said, you would also need to have someone asses the structural aspects of the home....the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).... a landscaper to assess the grading around the home, a specialist in identifying signs of water intrusion, a specialist in identifying safety issues, etc, etc....even if you could get each one for $100.00, you are now approaching $1,000.00 for the inspection....and, that is not including an appraisal (aka property assessor) which is usually at minimum a few hundred bucks.

Add to that extra inspections that may be needed which would be in addition to the standard home inspection...such as an inspection for wood destroying insects, radon, oil tank leaks, mold, septic etc....and you would be in the hole for at minimum $3K plus a pop..if not more.

Not to mention that trades people have a lot to gain by telling you there is a problem...where the HI gains nothing.

Consider as well the sheer insanity of coordinating all of these professionals to arrive pretty much within a day or so of each other...and to coordinate all of the reporting...never mind finding a seller who would allow this army to invade...not all that high, to put it mildly.

Last but not least, if your state regulates the HI profession...their findings are the only ones valid for the purpose of a RE transaction.

That said...this is why the HI is the generalist...as a GOOD, THOROUGH and ETHICAL HI will be able to recognize the signs that the issue needs further evaluation...or not...which saves the buyer time, griefand often quite a bit of money.

And..here is the key....such an HI is usually not found by a buyer who waits until the last minute, and hires in hastewithout taking the time to educate themselves on what the HI is required to do..and to take time to understand the inherent limitations of a visual inspection (after all this IS someone elses home and as such nothing can be ripped open, dismantled or taken apart) and to ask the right questions in terms of length of inspection, type of reporting, etc.

A little up front research and due diligence can go a very loooong way in enabling a buyer to get a thorough inspection and one that is meaningful ..as opposed to a cursory inspection that is only a bit more informative than a drive-by.

"the inherent limitations of a visual inspection (after all this IS someone elses home and as such nothing can be ripped open, dismantled or taken apart)"

That may be the minimum standard, but frequently a cover or access has to be dismantled or taken apart in order to get the job done. And occasionally something gets ripped open, too.

logic,
Good points... It would be tricky to fit all of these people into one, certainly, so it all comes down to knowing how to choose a good HI. It's a little late for us, but for future knowledge it would be great to know how to go about finding a good one. Any tips would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
Jane

Van356: "That may be the minimum standard, but frequently a cover or access has to be dismantled or taken apart in order to get the job done. And occasionally something gets ripped open, too."

True only to a minimal extent.as other than removing a cover...which is required by most regs and HI professional organization SOP's , anything more invasive, such as dismantling and/or ripping open is a slippery slope indeed....especially in NJ or any state with regs that state that an HI is not permitted to perform any function for which he/she does not have a licenses, training, education experience...etc...

As such...depending upon exactly what is being ripped open and/or dismantled, a case could be made in many states that most HI's lack the proper credentials to do so...and are therefore in violation of the regs.....and not just HI regsas most states regulate such activities to the appropriate licensed profession (e.g. HVAC, Electricians, etc.)

In addition, even more problematic is where exactly does the HI draw the line? If he/she dismantles or rips open some things...but not all...then exactly what credibility does the HI have later on down the line when the buyer rips open/dismantles additional elements...only to find a "hidden/latent defect"? How does the HI explain his/her slectivity in any way that will mean anything to the buyer...faced with the expense?

Any buyer with even a modicum of a brain will say.."Well..you dismantled/ripped out such and such..why not this? And...IMO...the buyer would have his/her pick of attorney's who would agree.

This most assuredly will make it much, much harder for the HI's defense in the event of a law suit...and this type of thinking may be one of the reasons behind the fact that in NJ in excess of 100 HI's are no longer on the roles of those who are licensed.

In addition, it provides the buyer with a false sense of security..after all, if the HI did not think that all of the elements orf the home needed to be dismantled or ripped out to inspect it properlybut some did.then can make a very good case for the fact that they had no reason to assume that hidden or latent defects lurk beyond those elements left intact.

Last but not least, not to mention the possible outrage on the part of the sellerwho expects the inspection to be visual and non-destructive.

floridajane...as you are in FL, and the last time I checked, as of yet the profession is not yet licensed. However, that does not mean that much in the long run...as few states seem to have anything in place that effectively prevents the unlicensed from practicing...or even enforcing the regulations with those whom are licensed.

That said...the first step is that one should familiarize themselves with their state regulations (if any) for HI'sor absent that...the standards of practice of the major HI organizations...ASHI, NAHI, NACHI are the most well known.

That way, you will at least know what the HI should doand what is beyond the scope of a home inspection, and be in an informed position from which to make a selection.

Then, you should ask friends and family for referrals. Within those referrals, find out how long the HI spends in the home....as an average sized home, in average condition should take a good two and half hours...make sure that is INSPECTION time...friends recently had an inspection in CT (where HIs' are licensed) by a very well known firm...and half the time (3 hours, 5300 SF house) spent in the home the HI was writing the checklist report and explaining the "few" findings.

As far as the report is concerned......eliminate immediately anyone who gives a check list. They will try to convince you that this is to your benefit.as you can have it same day...its BS.

It is for their benefit only as it allows them to maximize the number of homes that can be "inspected" in a day.

Most are so basic and generic, that it is almost impossible for a buyer to really know anything meaningful about the house.

The next level of report might as well be checklistand that is one that appears to be a narrativebut it is really a bunch of boiler plate about houses in general.. and information about the systems of homesbut NOT about the specific house that has been inspected. It is therefore a glorified checklist in disguise. Some franchise firms actually put it in a nice folderwith a CD.but it is about 85% show15% substance.

The best bet is to hire the HI who provides a full, descriptive, narrative report about the house inspected..with specificsas well as digital photos, clearly depicting the items of concern. Such reports can run 50 pages or moreand are not instantas they require timeand actual thought (what a concept!).

And..as such, the inspection may cost a bit moreand rightfully sobecause a meaningless report even at the most bargain price is money down the drain.

Check references..and try to find an HI who carries errors and omissions insurance, in order that you have recourse in case he does miss something. Many HIs I know carried E&O even before they were required to do so by law.so, even though you are in FL, I am sure the same is true for at least some of the HIs thereand, as such, speaks to the HIs level of professionalism and responsibility.

You should also get to see the pre-inspection agreement up front and NOT the day of inspectionin order to determine if indeed the terms and conditions are suitable..and to have time to discuss them if there are any questions or concerns.

Last not least, one should start looking for an HI as soon as they deicide its time to house hunt. That way, they have the time to perform their due diligenceand have the HI all lined up as soon as they find the home they wish to buy, instead of finding the homeand at the 11th house settling for whomeversimply because there is no time to do anything further.

Last but not leastfor those who live in states where the profession is licensedmake sure the HI who will come to inspect has the licenseit is illegal in NJ..and other states as well.. for the HI company to send an unlicensed HI out to inspect, but they do it nonetheless, due to non-existent enforcement. Get the nameget the license numberand check with the state to make sure they are one and the sameand ask to see the HI license upon arrival.

Hope this helps.

I agree with what others have said - never buy without an inspection, and be responsible yourself for making sure you have a good inspector. Then learn as much about the house as you can from the inspection. I didn't follow either of my inspectors around, but I read their reports and asked questions. The one who inspected my current house gave me the report and also explained it to me. He was great!

You MUST get a home inspection but know that many inspectors miss major problems. Home warranties do cover a/c but they have many ways to get out of paying. They are not going to give you a new unit when you bought a 400.00 policy. They are in business to make money. Trying to put a link in here that has good info on both problems..

hi bought a home about 10 years ago and it was november, was very busy at work so i hired and inspector arranged by the realator and carefully red the report, some work had been done on the house mostly electrical and the report sais the heating and ac were working and in good condition. come spring went to turn the ac on and it did not work wife called the realator and they sent one of their rental repair people out, there was no ac. the inspector bought us a ac system

There is no need to worry about this. Just have your home inspection and after the inspection, your whole hesitation will be automatically gone. Because you will get a clear cut idea about your home's condition.

A home inspection is actually an evaluation of the visible and accessible areas and is intended to give the client (buyer and seller) a better understanding of the home condition.

A home inspection will provide you home inspection report according to your home condition. This report is prepared by a registered building inspector.

What is included in a home inspection?

Masonry

Site drainage and grading

Decks

Foundation, crawlspaces, and basement

Kitchen appliances

Walls, floors condition

Plumbing system

HVAC

Building structure