Stockton Home Inspectors Make Mistakes

December 15, 2017

If You Need to Sell Your Stockton House, Beware the Home Inspection

Stockton Home Inspectors Make Mistakes… When You Get the Report: Verify Everything.

We Buy Houses Stockton — 90% of all Buyers Order at least 1 inspection

Selling a home, no matter what its condition, takes a lot of grit, patience, understanding and mostly time. There are so many things that can go wrong, but in today’s Stockton Real Estate Market, you better buckle up and not count on any particular offer to go through until the final closing. Today’s article addresses the most common of all deal killers to selling a house… The Home Inspection(s).

Don’t get me wrong, the home inspection is a vital part of selling a house and I recommend that every home buyer get at least one. How else is a prospective buyer going to know what is wrong with the house unless they hire an unbiased third party to do a thorough home inspection?

It is equally important that both the buyer and seller need to be realistic about the results and recommendations found in each of those reports and sometimes a re-inspection is needed to verify, refute or validate the initial findings.

Offers Don’t Mean Sales

It’s a fact of life when selling houses in Stockton (or any market for that matter) that getting an offer and closing the sale are two entirely different things. Even people that are selling their Stockton houses that are in perfect condition need to pay attention to the details, because with 98% of all sales offers, a home inspection is going to be required by the buyer and the inspectors can be merciless and the same time very wrong.

Imagine what happens if your house is in less than perfect condition

It’s no wonder that sellers wanting to sell their Stockton homes find out quickly that the euphoria or rush when receiving “the offer” becomes a little less special after the inspection and the inevitable buyer demands. I know that you’re thinking how dare you rain on my parade, you’ve spent a lot of time and money on upgrades and repairs and you just know that your house, while its not new, or perfect, can pass “almost” any scrutiny that home inspectors can throw at it, RIGHT?

My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a local real estate investor and I have many real estate stories and nightmares all pointing back to the home inspections that went terribly wrong. The harsh reality is that unless you are selling your Stockton home to a real estate investor or Stockton cash home buyer for cash, there will be at least two home inspections and maybe more.

If you are the seller, you have to understand that the buyer is paying for the inspections and it is their right, even if you are selling the house in it current as is condition. And it is right that the buyers should know what is wrong with a house before they make a purchase.

As the seller, however you can always make it a condition of the sale and contract that any inspection reports be delivered to you at the same time as delivered to the homeowner. If you do this you will know what is being said about the condition of your house before it hits the negotiation table.

I would also recommend that all sellers write into the contract that any and all appraisals paid for by the buyer are released to the buyer and seller at the same time. Remember, all inspections and appraisals are paid for by the buyer and belong to the buyer. If it is not written into the agreement the buyer can refuse to give you a copy.

[Related Story: Why Houses Don’t Sell]

So what exactly is a home inspection?

Termite and Wood Destroying Pest
General Home Inspection
Roof

Termite and Wood Destroying Pest:

From top to bottom and inside and out the home inspector is going to look everywhere and catalog (with pictures and notes) any signs of wood decay or deterioration and or termite infestation/damage. They first walk along the exterior of the house inspecting all exposed wood including window sills, surrounding vents, gables, overhangs, the eves of the roof line and they poke an prod to find dry rot or cracking exposed wood problems. Next they go in the attic and do more of the same. Finally they go under the house if there is a raised foundation and look for any and all termite activity in the soil and in or on the structure.

For sellers, these inspections are a double edged sword. The mere fact that the house has evidence of termites is enough send chills down any homeowners spine. Images of tents and thousands of dollars in repairs begin to form. Realistically, however, that is not always the case. Keep in mind, that just because inspectors find evidence of activity, it does not mean it is recent activity that poses any real threat.

Over the years, I have challenged many findings and have had many houses reinspected because the findings were suspect. Keep in mind that inspections can be devastating and it can be flat out wrong. Many inspection companies pay their employees to find any signs of activity (past or present, treated or untreated) and the final report details them. These reports also comes with a detailed scope of work and cost estimate to repair. Many times, those estimates include items that do not need repair or replacement and their prices are incredibly inflated.

General Home Inspection:

These inspections deal with all aspects of the house itself including the mechanical components (HVAC and other appliances). They inspect slope for drainage, chimney’s, windows and screens, doors, plumbing, electrical panels, circuit breakers. Next is the plumbing, testing all faucets and sinks, disposers, and of course the toilets and then the roof.

These reports too, can be suspect. Ask a lot of questions.

Roof Inspection:

While Roof inspections are rarely part of a”Wood Destroying Pest or termite inspection” they are usually covered by a General home inspection. It is a good idea that buyers have the roof inspected and certified for two years by the inspection company. Keep in mind that not all roof and materials are the same and just because the house has a lifetime tile roof, does not mean its watertight integrity is still in tact.

I have purchase many homes where the roofing material had deteriorated to such an extent that there were no present leaks, but the roof was a storm or two away from failure. A good roof inspector will be able to spot that.

Inspections Can’t Tell You Everything:

My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a local cash home buyer in Stockton, Manteca, Modesto and Sacramento CA. We Buy Houses in any condition and if you have a house to sell call me at (209)481-7780. I know that I can help you. With nearly 35 years of business experience, nearly 10 years of real estate investing and 100’s of real estate transactions, I can present solutions that most others have never even heard of. I understand that not every situation is the same and sometimes we need to tailor make our solutions to best fit your needs.

Whether you call me or not visit my website at http://www.IBuyHousesStockton.com and see how I have helped 100’s of local families just like yours.

We Buy Houses Stockton, The Man Behind the Sign

I Buy Houses Stockton Introduction (209) 481-7780 We buy Houses Stockton

My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a local real estate investor and the owner of We Buy Houses Stockton and Westbrook Real Estate Investments in Stockton, California. I am NOT a Real Estate Agent or Broker and for good reason. I purchase real estate and I am NOT going to ask you to pay a commission or a fee.…I pay CASH and because I do, I can close on the day that I tell you.

For those of you that already know me or have already called me you can attest that I answer my own phone and I return all phone calls. When you call me at 209-481-7780 you are calling me on the same number that my mother and my closest friends call me at.

Get Your Fair Cash Offer: Start Below!

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What Customers Say

The City of Stockton was getting ready to tear down my old house. I was no longer able to maintain the Stockton House and after years of trying to keep up with code violations, needed repairs and vandalism, I finally called Peter

Westbrook. He came right out and told me what he could do. He contacted the city and county and even cleaned up the property before he bought it. He paid the back taxes for me and gave me an advance on the purchase of the house. Without his help I would have lost everything. I called real estate agents and other investors but no one wanted to help and no one offered to pay as much as Peter Westbrook. He completely remodeled the house and I smile every time I go by. Thank you Peter.

Leonard S

We inherited our parents house with one of our brothers living there . The property taxes had not been paid and it was in Tax default. We called Peter Westbrook and he found that the title was still in our parents name, so the Stockton House never went through probate. Peter also found that there was an old auto loan that had a lien on the

title and an old bankruptcy ruling to take care of that lien had never been filed with the courts. Peter handled everything including paying the back taxes, paying for the hiring a Probate Attorney and filing the probate and paying for and hiring a Bankruptcy Attorney to finalize the removal of the lien. He was patient, understanding and he took care of everything including evicting the tenants that were living in the house. We talked to real estate agents and other I buy house people. None of them had the answers for our situation. Without peter we would have lost everything. We got paid cash.

Steve H

We inherited my parents Stockton house with a mortgage. We decided to rent it out. The tenants destroyed the house. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t have the money to fix it and the city had already issued code violations.. I called an “I Buy Houses Stockton Sign” on a telephone pole and Peter Westbrook answered. In 4 days he paid the bank and bought my house. We would have lost everything if it weren’t for Peter Westbrook.

Mike B

I inherited my mothers house with a mortgage. When my husband and I lost our jobs, we got behind in payments. Then the Bank posted a default with a auction date we didn’t know what to do.

We didn’t have the $15,000.00 and we only had two weeks to do something. We called Peter Westbrook and form the beginning he was confident he could stop the bank. Within 4 days he bought the house with cash, paid off the bank and stopped the Foreclosure. Without Peter we would have lost everything.

Brenda T

I saw a sign on a telephone pole and against my better judgement I called. The last thing I expected was a person answering the phone. I was surprised, Peter Westbrook answered the phone. I had a lot of questions and Peter had the right answers. My mother needed to get as much as possible out of the house and we had talked to several real estate agents and they all wanted to sell it cheap and wanted a 6% commission. They all told us unless we put thousands of dollars into it could not be sold for what we wanted. Not Peter. He made a fair cash offer and since then we have sold him another house. Peter and the title company handled everything. I couldn’t be happier and I would recommend Peter Westbrook to anyone.

Cathy W

I needed to sell my Stockton House. I called a phone number I saw on a sign and talked to Peter Westbrook. The City of Stockton said that they were going to take away my vacant Stockton house, knock it down and send me the

bill to do it. I did everything that I could to try to make them happy. A neighbor offered to buy the house and then Peter offered me twice as much. He did everything he said he would do and I just had to go to the Title Company and sign the papers. He did all of the work and now the City of Stockton is his problem. Thank you Peter.

Ann C

I inherited my Fathers Stockton house. The front porch was falling in, the walls had holes from being vacant and vandalized. The City of Stockton fined us, red tagged the property and forced us to put on a new roof so we had to get loans and we still couldn’t rent it out.

I called one of those “I Buy Houses” signs and Peter Westbrook came out and made a cash offer. The House closed escrow and we got our money for a house we though was worthless. Thanks Peter!”

Broderick R.

“Our Grandfather passed away and my brother, sister and I inherited his Stockton house. He was a junkman and hoarder. He was also 90 years old and had not made a repair to the house in years. He had garage sales almost every day. The house and the yard were full of junk. We tried to get everything out so we could just see the house. We had family and friends come over on the weekends but the cost and effort was consuming all of our time.The house was a mess.

I called Peter Westbrook and he made us a cash offer for the house and he said he would take care of all of the clean up. Thank God I called. The City had issued code violations and fines on the property and even before we closed escrow Peter and his crew had the house and yard cleaned (4 large Dumpsters later) . I recommend Peter Westbrook to anyone that has a problem house. They were fast and professional”

Connie J.

“I had tried to sell my Mothers Stockton house for two years. Realtor’s told me to tear it down. I didn’t have the money for that and my Brother and his family were living there. Peter Westbrook made me a cash offer and closed escrow with my brother still in the house. Peter Westbrook is my savior. I don’t have to worry about the house any more. If you have a Stockton house that has become a burden and you don’t have the money to fix it to sell it, call Peter Westbrook.”

Rosemary R.

If You Need to Sell Your Stockton House, Beware the Home Inspection