What to Know About Pre-Sale Home Inspections in the Winter

 Posted on December 20, 2024 in Residential Real Estate

The pre-sale home inspection is an extremely important part of the home-buying process. A standard home inspection is designed to detect most major issues that could affect the value of the house or your ability to enjoy living in it. A home inspector will check areas of the house a buyer may not have ventured far into, like the attic and the crawl space, looking for potential problems. If the home inspection turns up any major issues, the buyer may want to walk away from the home entirely or may try to negotiate the price down to account for the repair costs that are coming. Having a home inspection done in the winter has both benefits and drawbacks.

If you are in the process of buying a family home, you should be represented by an experienced Chatham, IL real estate attorney. While a home inspector looks for maintenance issues, a lawyer looks for legal problems that might impact your ownership rights and ability to enjoy the property the way you plan to.

Benefits of Having a Home Inspection Done in the Winter 

The benefits of having your home inspection done during the winter include: 

• Detecting problems with the heater - When your home is inspected during the winter, it is very easy for the inspector to detect any issues with the home’s heating system. If the heating system is not working well, this will be very clear. Knowing about these problems before you move in can spare you a very uncomfortable winter. 
• Catching drafts and insulation problems - It is easier for an inspector to become aware of a draft or a spot that needs better insulation when the inspection is done on a very cold day. Insulation problems and drafts are usually fairly easy and inexpensive to fix, but you may want them fixed before you move in. 

The Drawbacks of Winter Home Inspections 

A few of the problems with having a home inspection done in the winter include: 

• Lack of visibility - If there is a lot of snow on the ground, it might be hard for the inspector to make certain important checks. The roof may not be visible from the outside, and the foundation might be difficult to inspect from the outside. An outdoor-accessed crawl space might be blocked by snow. 
• Difficulty catching termite or pest damage - Because many pests that can cause damage to a home are dormant in the winter months, it can be harder for an inspector to notice the signs of termite damage or other pest issues. 

Even if there is a problem with the home the inspector cannot detect due to weather conditions, the seller still has a legal obligation to disclose any material issues he or she is aware of. This offers some protection to those who cannot complete all standard parts of an inspection.

Contact a Chatham, IL Real Estate Lawyer 

The Sherrod Law Firm, Ltd. is committed to helping home buyers make the most of their purchase. Our dedicated Sangamon County, IL residential real estate attorneys will do all we can to make sure you are informed about any possible legal or maintenance issues with your new home. Contact us at 312-321-6910 for a complimentary consultation.