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POV: You are in love with this house and have put in an offer on it that has been accepted. You’ve just completed the home inspection and walked through each room with your Tampa AcuSystem home inspector as they pointed out things you didn’t notice before. Then, they provide you with their detailed home inspection report. There is more in it than you expected. Now you aren’t so sure about this house anymore.
Before you get totally bummed out by the house and back out of the contract. Go through your home inspection report line by line and notate which issue is a concern for you and what isn’t a big deal. Then go through it again and make sure none of the below issues are labeled as deal breakers for you now they’ve been explained a little bit. Also remember, any issue still indicated as a concern for you can be used as a negotiation tool. Discuss these concerns with your realtor to see what may be negotiated into the home sale (whether it’s a repair or cost reduction) and then determine if it is better to back out of the home purchase or stick with it.
It is important to know a good Tampa home inspector will make notes about every defect, no matter how small or insignificant it may mean. AcuSystem Inspectors want to make sure you know everything about the home you are buying—from the big picture down to the smallest details. Not all defects are a critical issue, even if at first they may seem so.
Here are some red flags that may be raised, and which really aren’t as concerning as they may appear.
Perceived Concern: Foundation Issues
Likely Issue: Unless indicated otherwise by your home inspector, cracks in the wall are usually the result of settling and not a structural issue. Settling cracks that can be hidden with some spackling and paint.
Perceived Concern: Water Damage
Likely Issue: Peeling paint can indicate water damage but if there are not other signs of such, like mold, mildewy smells, or softened drywall, then peeling paint can be just a cosmetic issues caused by time and poor quality paint.
Perceived Concern: Major Repair or Replacement Needed (High-Cost Issue)
Likely Issue: Like a car, HVACs need routine service. However, they don’t always get it. If the age of the HVAC is not a concern, then general maintenance (like cleaning the coils or ducts) may be all that is needed. This can be easily negotiated to have the seller hire an HVAC technician to perform a service visit.
Perceived Concern: Major Repair Needed (High-Cost Issue)
Likely Issue: This isn’t an alarming concern but rather a long-term energy cost to consider. In Florida, adequate—or even more than adequate—insulation is a must to keep homes cool and prevent the HVAC system from overworking itself. Insulation can cost around $0.50 - $1.50 per square foot. This can be something negotiated with the sale of the home or handled after you become a homeowner.
Perceived Concern: Major Repair Needed (High-Cost Issue)
Likely Issue: Older homes may have a lack of CFCI outlets or outlets and switches that don’t work, but this is no reason to fret (although it can be an annoyance). Having a licensed electrician out for repairs can easily remedy this concern.
Perceived Concern: Potential Foundation Issues
Likely Issue: When the floor becomes uneven, it can be a worrisome concern. It could be just a settling issues, but may require an additional inspection to ensure under the flooring are not signs of foundation concerns.
Perceived Concern: Potential Foundation Issues
Likely Issue: Most of the time, when the soil (or mulch, plants, etc.) is too high or too close to the foundation it is because the landscaping was not done correctly. When planting new items, nutrient-rich soil or mulch is often brought in but the old mulch or existing soil was not dug out first. This just means some landscaping is in your future as a new homeowner.
