With all the talk about reuse, reduce, and recycle, it is a great idea to reuse whatever, whenever, right? Like reusing a home inspection? Maybe and maybe not. Tangible items are usually reused to keep them out of the local landfill, but when we consider reusing opinions and reports we actually risk violating someone else’s intellectual property rights.
So what does that even mean to a home buyer or seller? It means that when the report was ordered, the service provider charged a fee to come out and view a property, take pictures, and write a report based on what he (or she) saw at the time. The person who ordered the inspection then uses that information to make decisions about the home or property that was inspected. But when that report is passed around and reused, the person who wrote it is essentially serving more than one party–and may be held liable by more than one party–but with compensation from only one.
That is just one reason why we don’t reuse inspections, but liability is definitely at the top of the list of reasons inspectors don’t want the reports reused.
For buyers, when the report was written, the home was in a certain shape on that exact day and at that time. What has happened since then? Maybe the owner made necessary repairs, but the report is an overwhelming 42 pages long and scares the buyer away from purchasing a home that now is caught up on all that deferred maintenance. A new report may show only good things, and wrap up in 7-8 tidy pages.
Conversely, maybe repairs haven’t been made and since then a water line has burst and caused untold damage in the home and a new inspection would have found that in a minute.
Whether or not you choose a home inspection is ultimately up to you and your comfort level with the risk you may be taking on if a property is damaged. But if you do choose an inspection, be sure to protect yourself with a new one–especially if the property is in Alabama where the law is caveat emptor, “buyer beware,” and it is up to you to inspect rather than being up to the seller to disclose most issues.
For more information, contact me. Consultations are free, and I would love to meet you!
