benefits of home inspection

[Roy Mitle]

Is there any benefit of doing a home inspection for a buyer. The seller already got a home inspection done. It seems like a waste of time and money. What will a buyer's home inspector do that a seller's home inspector hasn't

Likewise for termite inspector.

[Troy Fisher]

Because you don't want a home inspection done with the seller as the client.  The Home Inspector is biased towards their client and protecting their interests.  If you can't or won't walk around the house with the Home Inspector and see the problems that they point out, how do you know and trust the validity of the inspection?  Why even bother looking at the Report, the seller is going to be honest with you, right?  Just take their word for anything that might be wrong with the property.

To be a little less abrasive, look at it as a simple numbers game, is it worth the $400 to have someone who is working as an agent for you to inspect a $100K Home? That's .4% of the purchase price. At 200k you are at .2%.  It gives you the opportunity to better plan and manage your ongoing capital expense line items and make better decisions.

And just for a third thought here, would you rather have a report on a property from someone whose client base is usually word of mouth from other sellers or listing agents, "Oh this guy is great, he helps me close deals." Or one whose business is from helping people from buying money pits.  I personally would want the guy who realtors hate, because he sinks deals because he is protecting his client.