New houses need inspection, too

Your First Home: The Proven Path to Home Ownership

A Keller Williams ® Realty Guide

By Gary Keller with Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan

We recommend you don’t neglect the inspection just because you’re buying a brand-new home. In fact, flaws in new construction can be even harder to spot than in older homes because their symptoms haven’t had a chance to show up yet. Buyer Teresa Van Horn, for example, didn’t discover for months that a slow leak form an improperly welded pipe was rotting out the bathroom wall of her new condo. When her newly completed condo was inspected, the pipe was already hidden behind the pristine wall, white wall.

If you’re buying a new home, definitely find an inspector who specializes in new construction. Agent Amy Denham in Florida suggests buyers go one step further. “If they can handle the additional expense, I recommend that my buyers have the builder’s work inspected during the construction on a periodic basis,” she says. “That way, if a mistake is made, you can catch it before it’s too far along.”

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