Home Inspections of condos compared to vs. Freestanding Home Inspections
Condo home inspections differ from freestanding simple home inspections in many ways. Read on to determine what the key differences are.
Real estate takes many forms
Two popular forms are condominiums and freestanding homes. Those in search of an investment property or a home they can use as their primary dwelling will typically have a few buying options. They can buy a vacant lot and put up a new home. They may also buy an existing home or purchase a dwelling within a condominium complex. The process of buying a home or a condo is very much the same. However, there are certain ways in which each buying process may differ slightly. This is particularly true during the home inspection phase. The savvy home buyer should be fully aware of such differences before looking at either type of property.
Condo home inspections differ from freestanding or fee simple home inspections in many ways.
A Fee Simple Home Inspection
Having the property inspected firsthand is a vital part of any planned home sale. An inspection of this kind will help reassure the home owner that the home they are going to buy meets all necessary safety standards for the region where it is located. A home inspector who is examining a house will come to the house at a certain time. Buyers can expect they will examine all parts of the house including the basement and attic as well as the backyard. Any fee simple home inspection will focus on the overall structural integrity of the house including the plumbing systems and the home’s foundation.
Inspecting a Condo
Those who are buying a condo can expect the inspection process to be a little different. The inspector will examine the dwelling the buyer wants in similar detail. The home buyer can expect the inspector to look at systems in the condo such as the plumbing and the heating units. An inspection of a condo, however, will differ in that the inspector will typically remind the buyer to ask the condo association for records of the overall structure of the condo rather than examining such structures directly as are usually not accessible to the home inspector. Common areas of the complex and other dwellings are usually not accessible during the home inspection process.