General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: three quarters of recent home buyers expressed some regret [View all]Wingus Dingus
(8,052 posts)All have had inspections prior to sale, some issues caught, some not so much. They are of limited value.
I think a lot of people are unrealistic that a house will somehow get a "clean bill of health" and be problem-free for decades. Guess what, your sinkhole hasn't opened up yet, but it will. Your basement wall hasn't leaked yet, but it will. Your house isn't in a flood zone, until it floods. Your septic tank and leach field are secretly corroding or clogging. Sewer line? Good luck with that. Roof? Unless a new one (regular shingle) was put on in the last 5 years or less, you shouldn't feel that smug about it. Have you LOOKED at your electrical panel lately?
Note I don't mention stuff like hot water heaters, furnaces, appliances. Barely even worth mentioning--everything mechanical breaks down, most easily swapped out at a range of prices. I always think it's weird when people buy real estate and get their panties in a bunch over the age of a hot water heater or other appliances that don't have squat to do with the ultimate value of the real estate.