March 30, 2018 | The power of a private property inspection

There is no doubt that one of the biggest emotional, financial and social decisions that people make in their lives is buying a new home. What amazes us is the fact that the majority of these people only spend an average of 30 – 40 minutes in the house before making this momentous and life changing decision. People spend far more time on a decision to buy a new pair of jeans or a new car at the fraction of the cost!

The other issue that buyers face is that they have to share their home shopping experience with large groups of strangers during an open-house inspection. How on earth can you make a qualified decision when 20 other people are trying to make the same decision as you? Do you really want this property or do you just want it because the other buyers want it? This process is known in the industry as ‘compression-selling’ and can easily lead you down the path to a rushed, incorrect and very costly decision.

Enter the power of the private inspection…..

Private and exclusive property inspections are the most crucial element when selecting your next home. It is your best and only chance to truly connect and build rapport with the property. You create the opportunity to walk throughout the entirety of the home, really understand it’s personality and envisage yourself living there with your loved ones. In essence, ‘trying each other on for size’. You are allowed the space and time to thoroughly assess all of the property’s features and decide whether these will suit your short and long term requirements for you and your family.

We strongly advise that all decision makers are present at your private inspection. Make the decision together – not apart. Joint decisions are far more powerful than individual decisions. By assessing the property together, we guarantee that you will uncover and notice far more about the property. Two heads are definitely better than one!

This personal time can also be used to measure the size of the rooms and ensure that your furniture will not only fit but also match the aesthetics and style of the dwelling. Fitting cars into garages or basements are a crucial player here and people must ensure that they can easily manoeuvre in and out of them.

Private inspections also eliminate the awkwardness of your competition. It is extremely hard to truly connect with a property when you are wondering whether the other person in the room is serious about buying or whether they have a higher budget than you. This feeling can be quite unsettling, creates un-ease, and that voice inside your head may even sabotage the decision of your dream home.

Another distraction which you need to be wary of on a private inspection is the actual real estate agent themselves. They have a knack for following you around on a private inspection to hear all of your comments and they are highly trained in sales and will have powerful dialogue to overcome any objection you may have. If this is the case, be respectful and polite by asking them to give you some space while you conduct your private inspection. ‘Would you mind if we could have some time to wonder through the home ourselves?’ This alone time gives you the privacy and reality of the home without feeling awkward or ‘watched.’

You can also focus more on the smaller details and source any potential imperfections with the property. Vendors and agents are notorious for hiding faults (particularly with furniture) so ensure that you check for any secrets that are being covered up. Take a closer look at items like windows and doors open easily, taps are working fine or any signs of dampness or mould on walls and ceilings. Examine the structural integrity of the property like sagging ceilings, buckling walls and re-stumping issues. Don’t forget to try all the light switches and check the fuse box to determine the age of the circuitry.

We advise that you make a decision to proceed with a purchase only once you have conducted a minimum of 2 – 3 inspections of the property. We then advise that you consider engaging a professional Building & Pest Inspector to check the structural integrity of the dwelling. Of course, you can also engage a Buyers Advocate like our team at Beckett. Our skills and experience of performing this process for prospective purchasers will assist you with a professional opinion and voice to ensure that this decision, one of the largest financial and emotional decisions of your lifetime, is the right one for you and your family in each and every way.

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