There are some general steps that most buyers and sellers will follow when real estate changes hands. The buyer will make an offer, and it may be provisionally accepted. The buyer will then have a home inspection carried out, ensuring that the property is actually in the condition they expect. The sale won’t be finalized until this inspection has been completed to their satisfaction.
This makes some people believe that a home inspection is a required part of the process and that it is legally necessary. But this is not actually the case. There’s no legal requirement for either party to set up a home inspection. A home can be bought or sold without an inspection ever taking place, or the potential buyer can simply carry out that inspection themselves.
What should you do?
That said, real estate professionals often advise that a certified inspector should conduct a comprehensive home inspection. After all, there could be many different types of hidden issues that homeowners would never find. Perhaps there’s damage to the roof, so it needs to be replaced. This could cost tens of thousands of dollars and may impact the purchase price of the property. But a homeowner isn’t going to notice those issues with the roof as they simply walk through the property.
Often, real estate offers will be set up with contingency clauses. One of the most common clauses is that the offer only stands if the house passes a home inspection. Once this has been written into the contract, then it is a legal necessity for the inspection to be carried out before the sale can be completed.
Buying and selling homes can get complicated in Washington state. Those who are going through the process need to know about all the legal options at their disposal.