Conducting your own purchase agreement home inspection

[Forensic74]

Anyone with a PE and/or SE out there conduct their own inspections during the contract process of buying their own home? Am wondering if I would find something bad enough to get out of a purchase it would open me up to suit from the sellers.

 

[ameyerrenke]

I see home inspections as nothing more than a negotiating tool after the purchase price has been agreed to. On my current home I negotiated a $1500 credit from the seller after the $350 home inspection found a handful of minor issues. Since closing I've found several bigger issues, like leaking spa tub pump that damaged the ceiling below the first time the tub was used, and that the front door on the 8 year house had an ant infestation so bad that it warranted replacement of the door.

Most people use home inspectors whom their real estate agent refers them to. Real estate agents are more concerned with closing the deal than finding real issues with homes, so they refer home inspectors whom aren't going to dig too deep...

 

[tinfoil]

What about the 'reverse' effect?

If you happen to be an Engineer, does that somehow 'raise the bar' compared to a 'layman' purchaser in terms of your 'caveat emptor' understanding and awareness obligations as a buyer?

 

[racookpe1978]

It's like cutting your own hair.

Get an outside, independent look - you are a qualified, but NOT an "unbiased, independent" inspector. But verify his quality, his workmanship, and be with him during the inspection - because YOU (not the inspector!) have to live in the house. And pay the bills to fix it.