WHY A HOME INSPECTION?

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If you are a home buyer, an experienced, licensed home inspector can easily spot issues that would be over looked by others.   In some cases, a buyer can use the information generated in an inspection report to demand that a seller correct deficiencies prior to closing or they may even be able to use that information to back out of a sale entirely.  Mortgage lenders may also require a home inspection.   Keep in mind, in NYS, Home Inspectors are licensed and have rules they must follow to protect buyers and sellers alike.

The seller of a home may wish to have a home inspection to understand deficiencies prior to listing a home for sale.   A home inspector can point out issues that a buyer's inspector would be required to point out.   A seller can use a home inspection to prioritize issues that they may wish to address before listing a home.     And finally, an unbiased seller's inspector can tell a seller where a buyer's inspector might cross a line and say things in an effort to effect the  value of a property in the buyer's favor.  

A "flip" is a home purchased by a developer for the purpose of fixing it up for fast sale.   The owner selling the house never lives in the house.   While some developers operate as long standing businesses with reputations to protect, most "flips" are renovated by fly-by-night companies or individuals whose only motive is to get as much money as possible from the asset as fast as possible.   This often means the cheapest products and least experienced "trades" people are used and the workers themselves are pushed to move at speeds that are less than ideal while performing processes that otherwise take time to properly complete.   Most of the time the end result is shoddy workmanship but there are occasions where some of what is done amounts to consumer fraud.

There are many factors that come together to create an environment favorable to people willing to take advantage of home buyers in NYC.   Some of these factors are the availability of older housing stock that can be had at a reduced price in desirable neighborhoods, a political environment where the laws are written to favor people who run business and provide jobs over the protection of consumers and workers alike, an untrained and desperate labor force afraid to challenge their bosses or the system, and agencies too short staffed to regulate or even understand the rules they are supposed to enforce.   

New York State is a "buyer beware" state.   This means that unless you have specific issues or guarantees written into a contract, you will have no recourse with a seller after the deal has closed.   The way to protect yourself during the purchase of a home is to put a "home inspection contingency" into the purchase contract and have an experienced home inspector look at the house and detail the issues.   The report generated can be used to renegotiate with the seller or perhaps even void the contract if it had been written with contingencies.   Keep in mind, if a "flipper" is trying to hide something, it may take some detective work to uncover it.

Steve Cymbalsky, the owner of Brownstone Home Inspection LLC has worked in older buildings in NYC since 1995.  Often dealing with licensed professionals, including architects and engineers, and trades such as electricians, fire systems technicians, and plumbers, Steve knows how to spot what's good and what's bad and what is simply old.  Steve has spent years supervising building trades and maintenance staff and as a restoration contractor has had to repair and replace shoddy work performed by others.   Steve has watched young, unsuspecting home buyers come to tears because they bought a property that will cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix because someone failed to follow codes, industry standards, and good work practices.   As a contractor, Steve has had to compete against unsavory contractors and lost jobs to unsavory contractors because they are willing to cut corners and prices.  Believe it or not, customers have called him to fix the screw ups on some of these jobs.   None of this is fun for any of us, contractors and homeowners and workers alike, and the sooner we can uncover the misdeeds of these unsavory characters, the better for all - including home buyers.

If you are buying a flip home in Brooklyn or Queens, call Brownstone Home Inspection LLC at 347-813-9635.   Steve will take his time with your inspection and so long as it can be found without breaking walls open, he will find what others have worked  hard to hide.