Buyer’s Remorse

By Frank G. Ross

So, you’ve carefully considered your options and you decide it’s time to buy your first home.  Your first step is an internet search for eligible properties.  Second, visits to the various homes in person.  Some may be “nice, but not quite right.”  Others you cross off your list immediately.  At length you find one you can live with.  So you make an offer, negotiate with the seller and eventually agree to the terms of the sale.

Congratulations!  It’s time for a celebration.

But…

Later that night, you find yourself wondering if you made the right decision.  Can you afford it?  Is this really a good time to buy?  What if there’s something really wrong with the house?  Something expensive to fix.  Sleep eludes you as worry takes over.

This is a normal response to buying a home.  It’s called “Buyer’s Remorse.”  A home is probably the biggest purchase you’ve made in your life. Although you’ve dreamed and planned for the day your vision can become reality, when that day comes it can actually seem more like a nightmare.

Fortunately, you had the good sense and foresight to make the contract contingent on a home inspection.  That’s where I come in.  I will spend about three hours on an average size home examining various components and systems.  I will look at the roof, the foundation, the structural system, the plumbing and electrical systems, and the heating and cooling systems, as well as the attic and crawlspace. If you choose, I can also inspect for termites.  The result will be a thorough report of the condition of the home designed to help you understand your purchase in detail.  It’s a computer-generated report, including digital photographs, that is ready at the conclusion of the inspection.  Of course, you’ll hope that I won’t find any major, or even minor, problems, but if I do at least you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing what you’re getting into (or the option of getting out before it’s too late).

Having a home inspection by a certified home inspector won’t eliminate all your stress, but it can help.  So when you find yourself suffering from “Buyer’s Remorse”, take a deep breath and relax.  Relief is on the way. Sometimes chocolate helps!

Frank Ross is a Certified Utah Home Inspector for Pillar to Post Professional Home Inspection and a full member of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors and a member in good standing with the Utah Better Business Bureau.  Readers may contact Mr. Ross at (435) 867-6400 or frank.ross@pillartopost.com or www.pillarposthomeinspection.com