Coos Bay North Bend Real Estate Office

What if I end up having necessary repairs after I purchase?

QUESTION : When I buy my home I will be using all of the cash that I have available for the down payment and closing costs. I’m concerned that something may go wrong with the house, appliances, etc. after I move in. What can I do to try to protect myself.

ANSWER: The seller of any pre-existing home is required to fill out a Disclosure Statement. This is a document that you should read over carefully not just quickly scan. In Oregon, sellers are required by law to disclose any known defects. However the problem is that many sellers have no way of knowing what may be wrong or what may go wrong particularly when a new owner uses it differently than the previous owner. Also many of the homes sold are Bank Owned and as they do not have pertinent knowledge of the condition, they don’t have to fill out a disclosure.

It would be my recommendation that every purchaser of a pre-existing home have a minimum of 1. Pest & Dryrot report, 2. A Whole House Inspection and a Home Warrenty. There are several companies available to do these. As to who pays for these inspections, that should be handled within the negotiations at the time of making the offer.

1. The Pest and Dryrot Inspection will be done by a licensed inspector who will check for the presence of Termites, Ants, Wood Boring beattles and other insects as well as any Dryrot and or apparent damage which has already occurred. This does not apply to structural problems unless there is damage caused by these related issues.

2. A “Whole House Inspection” is performed by a qualified and licensed person who is familiar with Structures, Electrical systems, Plumbing, etc. He or she will go through the house very thoroughly and submit an extensive list of all items checked and the condition therein.

3. A “Home Warranty” is a written warranty by which the Company issuing the Warranty will repair or replace many possible items such as Heating systems, Plumbing problems, Electrical problems, Water Heaters, Garbage Disposals and numerous other items all of which would be listed on your warranty.

None of the above three will guarantee a roof however the Whole House inspector will look at it and give recommendations. Roofs are a different kind of problem and if there is any question in the purchaser’s mind, after receiving the above inspections, he or she should request a roof inspection by a licensed roofer and get a bid for any needed repairs.