At the time your home closes, the seller should provide you with certain guarantees. For example, in existing homes, the seller will be required to provide you with certification that the structure is free from active pest infestation. This certification is often referred to as a "termite letter". Sellers of new construction are also required to provide proof of soil treatment under and around your home for termites. Additionally, in some cases septic systems in existing homes will need to be inspected. In new construction, heating, plumbing, septic/drain systems and electrical systems will have been certified as meeting local building codes by the appropriate inspector or agency but this does not mean that you do not need your own inspection of these items.

With few exceptions, the state of Tennessee requires sellers of homes to provide you with a "Real Estate Property Disclosure Statement". Once completed, it is intended to provide you with the owner's best understanding of the condition of the property. It represents the owner's non-professional opinion of condition and does not require the seller to have an outside inspection of the home or its systems.

A somewhat more recent addition to the home buying process is the inclusion of a building inspection by a professional home inspector. Contracts that we use permit you to make your home purchase contingent upon the acquisition and approval of a home inspection report. Most often you must agree to complete this inspection within five to ten working days from the date of the purchase contract. At that point you must provide a release for the seller from the contingency and indicate in writing exactly what repairs, if any, you expect to be made based on the report.

Most home inspectors will spend several hours in the dwelling checking wiring, structural supports, siding, roofing, heating and air conditioning systems, windows, plumbing and general operation of appliances that are to remain with the home. If the inspector notes concerns, he will suggest that you seek additional advice from specialists in HVAC or structural support systems.

Once the inspection is complete the home inspector will provide you with a written report of their opinion of the condition of the premises, noting both the deficiencies and positive aspects of the property.

The costs for these evaluations averages between $300-$400 and fees are often based on the size and/or price of the home. Payment for home inspections is the responsibility of the buyer-YOU.

A final ?walk-through? should be scheduled one or two days prior to the closing. This "final inspection" allows you to make certain that the home has been properly maintained since the date of the purchase contract, all permanent fixtures remain in place, any agreed to repairs have been completed, or, in the case of new construction, that the home is completed to your specifications and satisfaction.

Another way of assuring that problems with the home will be taken care of in the future is asking for a home warranty in the purchase agreement, if one is not already offered. A home warranty covers general aspects on most appliances, heating and air conditioning units, and other utilities throughout the home. In the case of a new construction, most builders offer a one-year warranty on the home.