Share your wish list with your realtor and explain why certain things are important to you.  For example, Is the extra bedroom going to be used as an office, exercise room, or play room for the kids?  A house that has a spare living room in the basement might work for your needs.  The more information you give your realtor, the better he/she can help you.

After looking at homes for a few weeks, you might be hit with a reality check.  You may discover that it isn’t going to be possible to get everything you want in a house at your price range.  If this happens, you’ll need to reevaluate the things that are most important to you, and decide what you can live without.  Make sure you let your realtor know when you have to scale down.  This will help him/her keep your best interests in mind.

Click here to search for Idaho Falls homes for sale.

It wasn’t cheap to develop and maintain the MLS, so real estate agents began to charge each other membership fees and annual dues.  This money is used to pay the staff and purchase the necessary materials to keep the system up to date.  Over time some of the information held on the MLS was placed on the web as a service to customers.  However, it’s important to note that not every property for sale can be seen this way.  You should also know that if you choose to use this service the information that you see is not complete and may not be current.
     
Click here to search the MLS for Idaho Falls homes for sale.

(You) Should I have a home inspection done on an older home? 

(Me) Yes! 

(You) Should I have a home inspection done on my new house? 

(Me) Yes! 

(Yes) Should I have a home inspection done even when the seller is selling the home “as is”? 

(Me) Yes! 

(You) Should I have a home inspection if I’m selling a house? 

(Me) Yes! 

(You) Should I… 

(Me) Yes! 

(Yes) Why? 

(Me) Great question let me explain…

A good inspection will cover every square inch of the home from the basement or crawl space to the attic and chimney.  It will include the plumbing, heating, electrical, windows, foundation, slope of the yard, roof, chimney, and anything else that makes the house a house.  It will protect you from getting into a house that has unexpected problems.  According to the Federal Trade Commission almost half of the preowned homes that are purchased have repairs that need to be made in the first six months.  Some of those repairs could cost tens of thousands of dollars.  At least with a good home inspection you’ll walk into the deal with your eyes wide open.

Let me take just a minute and address a few of the not so obvious scenarios and why you should still have an inspection in each case.

The first one is if the seller is selling the home “as is.”  They might as well be advertising to you that they know the house has problems but they won’t do anything about it.  I’ve had buyers suggest that it’s not worth spending hundreds of dollars on an inspection when the seller won’t do any repairs or give any compensation for the problems.  Although this might be true, don’t you want to know what those problems are before you buy the house?  Would it make a difference if the house needed a new roof and major foundation repair?

I recently helped a client purchase a house that was being advertised “as is.”  It was obvious as we walked through the home that it had some major problems, but we weren’t sure how bad they were.  In our offer, we made the sell contingent on the buyer approving the home inspection.  The inspection was done and the potential problems were identified.  We knew the seller was not going to work with us on fixing those problems, but the buyer was grateful that he knew exactly what he was getting into.  If there were bigger problems that we were unaware of, we had the option of walking away while retaining the earnest money.

The next scenario is when you’re the seller of a house that you have just listed.  When people think of getting a home inspection, they assume that it’s the buyer’s responsibility.  So, why would a seller want to pay for one?

There are several benefits to a seller getting a home inspection done.  The most important reason is that it aids in the marketing of the house.  If a buyer knows that as inspection has already been done and any problems have been addressed, they’re a lot less likely to look for reasons to make a low offer.  The other benefit is that the seller has more time and less pressure to deal with problems.

Several weeks ago I listed a home and convinced the seller to have an inspection done before we marketed the house.  It turned out that the inspection discovered several issues that would have been a problem to almost any buyer.  We were able to get the items fixed before any offers were made.  Once we had a purchase and sale agreement in place, the seller didn’t have to worry about addressing any major issues and could focus on getting moved into their new place.  It turned out that the entire process was a lot smoother than it would have been if the seller would have waited for the buyer to get the inspection.

So you’ve decided now that it’s important to get a home inspection.  Who’s the right person for the job?  In my opinion, this should not be done by uncle Bob, the part time builder who once constructed a chicken coop with all the bells and whistles.  It should be done by a professional who knows what to look for and will spend hours making sure he/she is thorough.

In Idaho you don’t need to fulfill any certification requirements to be a home inspector.  Anyone can claim to be one, which makes finding the “best” difficult.  I have several suggestions when shopping for an inspector.

1. Ask your realtor – Real estate agents deal with inspectors all of the time and typically know who should be hired to do the job.
2. Ask for referrals – Past customers can inform you of their thoughts.
3. Find out if the inspector has errors and omissions insurance – Some of them won’t.
4. Ask how much experience the inspector has – They gain a lot of knowledge by doing the job and getting their hands dirty.

When considering all of these things, the bottom line is, a home inspection is a very small price to pay to get peace of mind and protection.

1. Remember that Idaho Falls real estate agents work on commission.

• Most real estate agents work on commission, which means they don’t get paid until a transaction closes.
• Don’t ask an agent to work for you if you have no intentions of buying a home or plan to cut them out of the deal.
• It’s ok if you’re “just looking casually” or “not ready to look seriously” if you’re honest about your intentions and upfront with the pace you desire.

2. Communicate, communicate, and communicate.

• Tell your agent the best way to reach you and how often.  Do you want a phone call, email, fax, or text message?
• Let your agent know what’s on your wish list and which items you have to have, or which you would like to have but can live without.
• After each house visit, remember to share the positive and negative aspects of the house with your agent. It’s the best way for him/her to know to learn your preferences.
• If you’re unhappy with anything, say so.

3. Show up and be on time.

• Don’t forget to make an appointment with an agent and then forget to show up.
• If you’re going to be late, call your agent and let him/her know as soon as possible.
• Don’t expect an agent to drop what he/she is doing to run out and show you a home.  You’re probably not the only person the agent is working with.

4. Don’t call another agent if you’re already working with one.

• The listing agent works for the seller, not the buyer.  If you decide to write an offer with the listing agent, he/she will now be working under dual agency.
• When you ask an agent to show you a property, they will expect to represent you when you make an offer.  If you want to see a home, use the agent you plan on writing the offer with.
• Listing agents don’t want to do the buying agents job.  Let your buyer’s agent do his/her job.

5. Know how to handle open houses.

• Let your agent know you plan attending an open house.  He/She may want to escort you.
• Always hand your agent’s business card to the agent hosting the open house.  Announcing that you’re represented protects you and shows common courtesy.
• Remember that the agent hosting the open house may not be the listing agent.  He/She may just be looking for unrepresented buyers.  The agent can show you the house and answer basic questions, but may not know details such as the “name of the paint” or the “exact type of wood floor.”  Be patient, with time, they can find out almost anything.
• Do not ask the open house host questions about the seller or their motivation.  Let your agent ask those questions.

Are you looking for a good realtor? Click here to contact an Idaho Falls real estate agent.