After I have contacted the owner and I want to check out the house to see what kind of condition it is in myself, since I’m not a licensed inspector, I need advice on what to look for when I do my initial inspection of the property and how long should I be in the home looking around?
What kind of questions do I need to ask the seller to be able to come up with an estimated cost of repairs? Of course, I will eventually hire a licensed inspector but I want to have an idea of what I need to look for in order to calculate the cost of repairs. Thanks.
As a licensed home inspector in Texas I can tell you that inspectors are not allowed to give you estimates on rehab costs nor are they allowed to do any contract work on properties that they inspect. I would not ask the seller about repair costs as you are subject to what they want to tell you. There is a conflict of interest there as well. My suggestion would be to find yourself a general contractor that you know and trust and have them do the walk through of the property with you. They would be able to give you the best assessment about repair costs. Keep in mind though that contractors are also looking to make money, but they will give you a good assessment as far as what to expect. Hope this helps.