Exactly How Important Is My Home Inspection?

As I sit in Court, waiting for my client’s case to be called, observing the cases on the docket in front of me, wouldn’t you know it, the next one is a homeowner/Buyer (“Plaintiff”) suing the former homeowner/Seller (“Defendant”) for post-closing inspection issues. This case is dead on arrival, but it should at least be interesting.

The story is the usual one. Seller and Buyer enter into a standard contract for the purchase and sale of a home. Buyer has a home inspection and plumbing issues are discovered. Major, water running down the walls, type of plumbing issues. Buyer makes plumbing repair requests and Seller says no. Buyer is a tenant and feeling pressure to close anyway because she’s already given her landlord notice. She has spent money on inspections and appraisals. She feels like she has no choice, so she closes anyway. Without the plumbing repairs and water still running down the walls.

Why?

Her agent told her she could just sue the Seller, post-closing.

Wow.

Agents and brokerages were named, but only the Buyer was in the Courtroom and she was clearly shocked the “legal advice” from her agent was completely wrong. The Judge was patient. He was kind. He very gently told her she had no case as he read a large portion of the contract back to her and into the record. The Judge then ever so gently, entered judgement in favor of the Seller.

And by the way, what did the Seller have to say in his defense? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It wasn’t necessary. He didn’t even appear in Court, nor had he filed an answer to the complaint. He just sent in his lawyer and as it turns out, that was all he needed to do for absolution. Judgment in his favor, and nothing for the Buyer.

So, what is the moral of the story? Representation in the largest financial transaction you will likely make – or the advice and a chance to walk away from it – is always a good idea.

Call us before you close. Better yet, call us when you make your offer. Post-closing issues are rarely resolved to the satisfaction of a Buyer once you leave the closing table.

Don’t be that post-closing, unhappy homeowner. Protect yourself, your investment and your piece of mind.