Bill Bergstedt
Certified Master Home Inspector
Inspecting in California and Nevada
530-577-7811 (office)  
Email:  tahoeinspector@sbcglobal.net 

A FORECLOSED HOME REQUIRES A PROFESSIONAL HOME INSPECTION

Many realtors and prospective home buyers feel there is no reason to get a home inspection on a foreclosure.  That mistake could turn a bargain into a money pit.  You may save tens of thousands of dollars picking up a foreclosure only to find that after escrow closes there are tens of thousands of dollars in repairs needed that you did not see or anticipate.  And you have no recourse.

WE DO NOT OFFER REO PARTIAL INSPECTIONS OR INSPECTIONS WITHOUT A DETAILED WRITTEN REPORT.  THOSE TYPES OF INSPECTIONS WHILE INEXPENSIVE HAVE LITTLE OR NO VALUE IN HELPING YOU DETERMINE WHAT THE REAL ISSUES ARE IN THE HOME ON WHICH YOU ARE ABOUT TO SPEND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.  THOSE KINDS OF REPORTS ARE UNLAWFUL IN MANY STATES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT PROTECT THE BUYER.  THEY ARE A QUICK BUCK FOR THE INSPECTOR WHO IS NOT PERFORMING HIS DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS OTHER THAN HIS/HER OWN.  FULL DISCLOSURE IS A CALIFORNIA LAW AND IS IN EVERY "STANDARDS OF PRACTICE" USED BY PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED HOME INSPECTORS.  DON'T RISK YOU LIFE WITH A CHEAP OR PARTIAL INSPECTION.  

1.  DECKS CAUSE MORE INJURIES AND LOSS OF LIFE THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE HOME STRUCTURE. 

2.  THE AVAILABILITY OF OUTSIDE COMBUSTION AIR AND VENTING SYSTEMS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. ALTHOUGH HVAC UNITS AND WATER HEATERS ARE VITAL TO YOUR COMFORT, THEY ARE ALSO POTENTIALLY LETHAL.

3.  CARBON MONOXIDE IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL POISONING IN THE U.S.

4.  I FREQUENTLY FIND ARCING WIRES, CHARRING OF BREAKERS AND FAULTY GROUNDS. THESE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS. 
 

Know exactly what you are buying.  A foreclosed home is more likely to have major issues than one that is occupied when you view it.  Often the house has been neglected for some time prior to the foreclosure as families with financial troubles seldom address needed reairs with the house that they are not going to keep or cannot afford.  The evicted resident often strips many appliances and items of value to either take with them or sell for needed cash.  They are the angry losers of their home who choose to alter wiring, remove circuit breakers and cause dangerous situations for anyone taking over "their home."  Broken plumbing is quite common.  HVAC systems under the house or in the attic vanish as do water heaters.  Once the house is vacant, vandals and thieves move in and gut the house in just a few hours.

I inspected a foreclosed homes, four years old, upscale, beautifully appointed, that visually looked adequate and unremarkable, but when the water to the house was turned on water poured from more than a dozen ceiling light fixtures.  Ultimately wet insulation was removed, sheetrock replaced and repaired and some hardwood flooring had to be replaced.  Fortunately with my subsequent letters, the buyer was able to get the bank to foot the bill before he would close escrow.

 
In another foreclosed home I inspected, when viewing the crawl space, I discovered thatt venting of furnace and water heater appeared to be deliberately altered to create a carbon monoxide issue.  This could have proven deadly to new owners had it not been discovered and reported.

I found concrete poured down an upstairs toilet to clog the drain and septic system.  In still another foreclosed home, tampering of electrical systems could have burned the house down.  The list of the many damages goes on and on.

Crawl spaces can reveal bad foundations, damaged duct work, sagging or broken support beams and posts, mold, water damage and shifting supports.  On occassion wild life has moved in.  The attic can have many of the same issues. 

Not all issues with a roof and its metal components are seen from the ground by the Realtor and prospective buyer.  If at all possible,  an inspector must get on the roof and walk upon it to assess it.

Always remember that what you don't see can be lethal, expensive or just heartbreaking.