20% Rebate for Buyers
$3,500 Flat Fee for Sellers
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What happens if a termite problem is found during the inspection?
Should I get a professional inspector?
Can I really cancel for any reason during the inspection period? Will I get my money back?
What time does the inspection period expire?
How many days are normal for the inspection period?
When should I order the home inspection?
What happens if an agreement is not reached during the inspection period?
Should I get a pool inspector?
What should I do if a lot of electrical work might be needed?
Can I still ask for repairs even if the As Is Addendum is used?
What happens if issues are found by the home inspector during the inspection?
What is the most important contingency in my offer?
Why is the Lead Paint Addendum being used?
If the property is a tear down should I do all the inspections?
Why would a home on Oahu settle?
What does the As Is Addendum really mean?
A Brief Guide to Mold - understand more about how to clean and avoid mold and moisture in your home.
Protect Your Family From Lead Hazards - important to read for all homes built prior to 1978.
Asbestos was banned in 1977. Learn where it might be in homes built prior.
Will the seller remove junk on the property?
What happens if a termite problem is found during the inspection?
If a termite problem or any other problem is found during the inspection, the buyer has the right to request repairs, credit, cancel, or continue.
If there is termite damage, the buyer might request to have it repaired or get a credit so they can repair it after the closing.
If it is live termites that are found, the buyer might want to negotiate that the home be tented or spot treated to take care of the issue.
Also, there is almost always a termite inspection, and normally the seller will pay for the inspection and the recommended treatment.
However, if you found out about the termite issue during the inspection, you might want to negotiate the resolution now while you can still cancel, vs. waiting for the termite inspection to be done.
You might prefer tenting and you can negotiate to get that done. If the inspection report comes out and spot treatment is all that is recommended then the seller no longer has to tent, so that is why I don't recommend waiting for the termite inspection to come out to reach a resolution.
Should I get a professional inspector?
Yes. We always recommend a professional inspector. They check everything in the home, things you or your contractor might forget to check, and compared to the price of purchasing the home, it is a very small cost for that peace of mind and a better understanding of the home you are buying.
Can I really cancel for any reason during the inspection period? Will I get my money back?
Yes, sometimes sellers are slow to sign the paperwork but I have never had a client cancel within the inspection period and not get their deposits back. Keep in mind you still have to pay the home inspector so unless that was paid outside escrow they will keep part of your deposit to pay that bill.
What time does the inspection period expire?
Technically it is 11:59pm but being we are not at work, it is best to make a decision by around 8pm so we get it submitted that day.
How many days are normal for the inspection period?
Normally it is 10 to 12 days. Some sellers like to shorten it to 7 days, but this can cause an extension to be needed especially if there are some issues that need further looking into by an electrician or contractor.
When should I order the home inspection?
The home inspection should be ordered right away. You will normally have around 10 to 12 days to complete it and the inspectors schedule fills up fast so it is important not to delay getting an appointment.
What happens if an agreement is not reached during the inspection period?
If an agreement is not reached during the inspection period, you can cancel and get your money back. If you make no choice and let the inspection period expire then by default you have accepted the inspection.
Should I get a pool inspector?
Yes. Regular home inspectors are not qualified to do a complete pool inspection, so assuming there is a pool we always recommend a separate pool inspection.
What should I do if a lot of electrical work might be needed?
You need to bring out 1 or 2 licensed electricians to get a quote on how much it will cost. At that point you can ask the seller to fix it using a licensed electrician or you could ask for a credit to cover the costs and then pay an electrician to fix it after you close.
Can I still ask for repairs even if the As Is Addendum is used?
Absolutely. The As Is does not change your rights at all during the entire contract process, so your right to do an inspection and ask for any repairs is still in place. It does send a message that the seller does not want to do any minor or non-emergency repairs, but it does not change your right to ask for any repairs and cancel if you do not reach an agreement with the seller.
What happens if issues are found by the home inspector during the inspection?
Buyers can ask for repairs, credits, price reduction, do nothing, or some combination of these things.
The seller has the right to say no, but you have the right to cancel, so normally it is a negotiating process.
Sellers will normally fix things like plumbing leaks or hazardous electrical situations, but they don't like to do upgrades. They feel they priced their house according to the condition, so upgrading with new carpet, new paint, new roof, etc. is not something they will normally do.
Sometimes a credit for the buyer is the best way to go because then the buyer can make sure the job is done right, and it is less of a hassle for the seller as all they have to do is say yes and it is done.
Because a credit is less of a hassle, buyers are more likely to get the credit vs. a repair.
What is the most important contingency in my offer?
The most important contingency in your offer is your inspection contingency. The reason is you can cancel for any reason during this contingency. After it is up you need a more specific reason to cancel, for example, you do not like some of the statements on the disclosure could be one reason.
Why is the Lead Paint Addendum being used?
The Lead Paint Addendum is a disclosure that the federal government requires to be attached to all homes built prior to 1978. This is when Lead Paint might have been used. You can read more about it at Protect Your Family from Lead Hazards. Most sellers do not know if they have Lead Based Paint or not, so it would be up to you to test for it during the inspection period.
If the property is a tear down should I do all the inspections?
If you are 100% sure you are going to tear it down, then you can waive all your inspections as it does not matter. If there is even a 1% chance that you will not tear it down then you should do the inspections. Also, a home inspection might be worthwhile so you can tell what types of issues the new home you build might have. For example, was settling a problem, are there ground termites present that will require treatment, etc.
Why would a home on Oahu settle?
Most of the time settling is caused by the soil getting too much water especially during heavy rains on a hillside. Therefore one way to prevent a home from settling is to have the proper drainage around the home so water flows around it and not under it. Once a home settles you can leave it like that or some contractors have equipment to jack up the home and redo the supports, thereby correcting any settlement issue. This is not an inexpensive process as you can imagine, so you should plan on that cost if it is something that needs to be done.
On our serivce providers page, we have a contractor who has the equipment to correct settlement issues, and we also have a soil inspector who can tell you what is going on with the soil under and around your home and give you suggestions to improve it.
What does the As Is Addendum really mean?
The As Is addendum sounds intimidating, but if you look at it closer, it does not mean much.
It does not change any of your rights during the inspection. You can still cancel, ask for credit, or ask for repairs.
It does not change the seller's responsibility to disclose everything on their disclosure statement. It specifically says that the Purchase Contract overrides the As Is Addendum, so if you call for something to be repaired in the contract, this overrides the As Is Addendum.
It does not even help the seller after closing because it specifically says they are still liable for claims where they did not disclose a material fact.
So what does it do for the seller then? It simply sends a message that they prefer not to do repairs. You can still ask for them, but they are saying up front that they prefer not to do any.
A Brief Guide to Mold - understand more about how to clean and avoid mold and moisture in your home.
Understand more about how to clean and avoid mold and moisture in your home. See PDF on mold for more details.
Protect Your Family From Lead Hazards - important to read for all homes built prior to 1978.
Protect Your Family From Lead Hazards - important to read for all homes built prior to 1978. Please see PDF for details.
Asbestos Information - Asbestos was banned in 1977. Learn where it might be in homes built prior.
Asbestos Litigation - Over $30 billion is currently available in trust funds for victims of asbestos-related diseases. See the Mesothelioma Lawyer Center for more information.
Asbestos Information - Asbestos was banned in 1977. Learn where it might be in homes built prior.
Asbestos Connection to Mesothelioma
Your Guide to Hiring an Asbestos Abatement Company
Sokolove Law - specialist in handling asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits.
Will the seller remove junk on the property?
Yes, the contract calls for all junk to be removed from the property before closing.