When a Property General Inspection Isn’t Enough
All Florida Realtors residential contracts include language giving the buyer the ability to conduct an inspection, but it’s not quite that simple – and the clock is ticking. What if the general inspector suspects termites? What if an open permit is discovered after the inspection deadline? What if a general inspection of the property isn’t enough?
ORLANDO, Fla. – When a buyer and seller reach an agreement on a property, all Florida Realtors® residential contracts contain language regarding the buyer’s ability to conduct an inspection. Most Realtors® understand this includes a general inspection of the property, but it’s important to note there are other types of inspections a buyer may want, either because the general inspector recommended them or to confirm the property is right for them.
What are some of these other types of inspections? And why can’t general inspectors perform an inspection for everything the buyer needs to know about?
Wood destroying organism (“WDO”) inspection. General inspectors may provide some insight on the presence of WDOs, but they may not be qualified to determine if there’s a live infestation or the extent of any present or past damage.
Many times, general inspectors will say they’ve seen “evidence of WDOs” and then recommend a pest professional look into the matter.
Permit inspection. This usually involves a phone call or visit to your county and/or city permitting office to see if there are any open or expired permits on the property. Is the seller marketing renovations that were done to the property? If so, the buyer can verify whether required permits were pulled or not.
It is important to remember that depending on the type of contract used, a seller’s obligation to repair an item may depend on the buyer notifying the seller by a certain deadline. If a condition is discovered and brought to the seller’s attention after the deadline, the seller’s obligation to fix it may be waived. The discovery of an open or expired permit often occurs later, and resolution can be waived without an earlier notification.
Even if buyers only plan a general inspection, it’s important to have it done as early as possible and to verify the scope of the inspection. If the general inspector discovers a problem during this early inspection that warrants additional more specialized inspections, a buyer should be able to schedule them before the contract’s inspection deadline.
Richard Swank is an Associate General Counsel for Florida Realtors
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