Garfield Heights POS Inspection

[Matt Giesey]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some insight as to what the interior portion of the Garfield Heights POS inspection entails. The exterior guidelines are listed on their website, but I haven't seen anything for the inside. I'm mainly looking to see how in depth they are, and the main issues they look for. I've got a single family under contract that needs some work, and this will be my first time in an area with a POS requirement. Thank you!

[Christopher Spear]

Hi Matt,

I don't have experience in Garfield, but I do in several other cities in the eastern suburbs of CLE. I don't know whether you have had to deal with POS's in the past, but here's what I can offer based on my experiences:

1: POS's are not an exact science. If five inspectors went through the same house, you'd likely get five different reports. 

2: Inspectors (as a whole) are concerned primarily with health and safety issues. Meaning they would be much more likely to write up an illegal wire connection hanging from a basement ceiling than a hole punched in drywall (that's not to say that they might not write up the drywall...). A missing door casing might be overlooked, while a non-operating window will be flagged. 

3: Some inspectors find every defect, while others miss obvious problems that you were likely to address in your rehab anyway. And some have specific things they look for. I'm thinking of one in particular that flags every missing door knob.

4: Some inspectors may be willing to work with you on some minor items if you are reasonable, and can show them that you have good intentions.

5: A home that is neat and clean will receive less scrutiny than a home that is run down and clearly neglected.

So while they CAN flag just about anything they want, it's usually health and safety above cosmetics. 

I hope this was helpful!