What Does a Home Inspection in the LBI Real Estate Market Involve

A home inspection is a great way to find out about your house on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, and uncover defects in the home that were not apparent during a showing. Even if you are buying new construction, it is advisable to have an inspection to ensure the property was built correctly and to help you understand how the systems in the home operate. In fact, an inspection on a new home can be even more critical since it has never been lived in, and there tend to be fewer disclosures on the seller's part. The inspection process itself is rather straightforward on Long Beach Island. An inspector will review the home and review the findings with you at the inspection time. The inspection will be followed up with a formal written report. While every inspector is different, some common inspection areas exist for any home in the LBI real estate market. These include:

A visual inspection of the foundation

Plumbing systems

Visible electrical wiring and the electrical panel

Roof shingles and the estimated age of the roof

Crawlspace, including pest damage, plumbing, mold, etc.

Doors and windows for drafts or damage

Appliances and home systems

Heating and cooling systems

Termites, powder post beetles, and other infestations

Mold or other environmental hazards

Apparent safety issues

Loose handrailings

Prices for a home inspection in the LBI real estate market will depend on the house size and the company hired to inspect the home, but usually, the cost is around $1,000-$2,000.

Home inspections are not intended to be an all-inclusive review of the property, and they certainly have their limitations. For example:

Home inspections are primarily visual inspections.

Inspectors will call attention to potential issues, but most will refrain from an in-depth analysis.

A qualified expert may need to be brought in to assess any identified trouble areas further.

Most home inspectors will not quote any estimated cost to correct a defect in the home. Instead, they will refer you to a contractor to give a price and method of remediation.

Home inspections typically take 2-4 hours to complete in the LBI real estate market. During this time, a home inspector will inspect the home and look for potential areas of concern. This will usually involve the inspector investigating a home's attic, crawlspace, interior, and exterior, but note that it will not include areas that are not readily visible, including the interior of walls. This limitation is important to be aware of, especially in older homes, as the crawlspace may not be accessible (and this is one of the chief areas of concern for a home on Long Beach Island).

A home inspector will point out areas that may be potential trouble spots; however, an inspector's role is not to provide estimates for repairs or a complete analysis of the problem. For example, if a crawlspace has termite damage, the inspector will point out that a problem exists and suggest further evaluation. A pest control company will verify the extent of the damage and the cost of treating the problem. A qualified expert who will also complete the repairs should only provide these estimates.

Long Beach Island Real Estate New Construction Home Inspections

Conducting a home inspection for a brand-new home on Long Beach Island is incredibly important! One of the most misunderstood aspects of buying a new construction home in the LBI real estate market has to do with home inspections. Most buyers falsely assume that a home inspection is unnecessary for a new home since the home was just constructed. Nothing could be further from the truth! A new home on Long Beach Island is perhaps the most important type of home to conduct an inspection on. While it is true that homes are inspected throughout the building process, local inspectors cannot perform a complete review of any and all systems installed in the home. Additionally, things can be changed after a local inspector leaves! Mistakes also happen all the time, and while most of them are minor, it is important to catch them early. For example, roof shingles can blow off since the roof has not had time to cure, caulking around windows or siding might have been missed in some areas, and outlets may be miswired, to name a few common findings. A buyer should work to ensure that the home is built to the correct standards and is safe and ready to use. Every new construction buyer should conduct a home inspection on a newly built home before closing.

 

 

LBI Real Estate Home Inspections After Hurricane Sandy or Flood Events

A home inspection is always recommended when purchasing a property you intend to occupy. Buying a home in the LBI real estate market differs greatly from buying a home on the mainland. Since Long Beach Island is a barrier island, flooding is a part of life, and some homes on LBI have flooded in the past. This flooding could be a significant flood event, like Hurricane Sandy in 2012, where many homes had interior water damage, or it could be from minor flooding limited to a crawlspace or garage. In either case, the damage caused by floodwaters is often unseen to the naked eye. It takes a thorough investigation of the property to ensure the home purchased in the LBI real estate market is safe and structurally sound. A few things to consider are:

Mold caused by damp and wet wood

Damaged electrical wires

The toxic residue left from gas furnaces or oil heat spilling their contents into the flood waters

Foundations that may have shifted or weakened

Water-damaged sheetrock and insulation

Mold growth

 The above list only names a few of the issues you should be concerned with when purchasing a home in the LBI real estate market suspected of having sustained flooding in some capacity. For a prospective buyer in the LBI real estate market, flooding needs to be taken very seriously, and a home inspection and a mold test are great ways to ensure the home is safe for occupancy. To be clear, a flooded home is not necessarily a concern. How the home was repaired and remediated needs to be considered. Many homes sustained flood damage and are perfectly safe to live in. As a buyer in the LBI real estate market, you want to ensure that any home you are considering has been repaired and remediated correctly if it did sustain flood damage.