It may come to a surprise for some, but seasoned buyers and sellers know that a routine part of the buying/selling process for a condo or loft is the inspection. Not just reserved for houses, a home inspection is necessary to ensure the buyer won’t be facing any unexpected and unpleasant surprises.

What does the home inspector do?
Don’t think that the inspector just goes straight to the unit. The entire building will be checked.

First, the home inspector will check the outside and inside of the condo. Outside of the condo, the facade will be checked to make sure it is in good shape. Things like crumbling bricks, cracked glass/windows and damaged stone will be noted. The roof, one of the most important structural elements of any building, will be examined. If there is an underground or attached parking lot, that may also be inspected for problems, particularly leaks.

On the inside of the condo/loft building, it’s not just the unit that will be checked. Wiring, heating systems, ventilation systems, and plumbing will be examined. Common areas are also examined to ensure proper maintenance and service.

Then, finally, it’s off to the unit.

And remember: before the home inspector arrives, make sure to ask the property manager for access to any areas that may be locked.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at 9:44 am and is filed under Buying and Selling Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.