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Can Your Neighbors Affect The Sale Of Your Home?

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Whether you’re upgrading to a newer home or moving out of state, you need to take a good look at your neighbors’ homes before listing yours for sale. It’s unfortunate that not everyone takes care of their yard, maintains their home’s appearance, or is a quiet and pleasant neighbor. How your neighbors take care of, or neglect, their home can affect the sale and value of your home.

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Curb Appeal

If your neighbor’s front yard lacks curb appeal, determine what things would make it look better. You don’t go to your neighbor and ask them to clean up their yard. A better idea is to pick up supplies to spruce up your own yard and mention to your neighbor that you are doing a makeover of your own property because you are planning to sell. Purchase a few extra plants and a shrub or two that you don’t need and can’t return to the nursery. Ask your neighbor if they would like them (for free), and explain you’d be happy to help them do a fun makeover in their yard with the extra plants. It’s well worth spending three or four hundred dollars on your neighbor’s yard to prevent losing a few thousand on the sale of your home. Other issues in your neighbor’s yard could include a rickety fence, crumbling walkway, or a front porch and door that needs painting. If you approach your neighbor with a willingness to cover the cost of paint and repairs, they will most likely be willing to accept your offer. If you ask them to spend money to fix up their yard to help you sell your home, expect resistance.

Behavior Problems

If your neighbors are the noisy type, play loud music, own barking dogs, argue with the windows open, or have wild parties, they will probably not be receptive to a request from you to change their ways. They may even purposely make noise when the house is being shown, so don’t take a chance on upsetting them. Most cities have noise ordinances, and you may find you need to file a report with the proper department. Often a warning from the police or animal control officer will subdue the neighbor’s annoying activities for a few weeks. In the most difficult circumstances, you may need the assistance of other neighbors to file a complaint. You are not required to disclose annoying neighbors when you list your home, and it’s quite possible the home buyer will have similar habits and get along fine with them.

Best Approach

As soon as you make the decision to sell your home, let your neighbors know. Tell them you will be doing some work on your home and yard. Being aware of what you are doing is less apt to cause any offense if you feel the need to offer some help with their own curb appeal. They’ll appreciate you offering them your leftover materials for their own improvements.

Great Properties For First Time Home Buyers

Ask Your Real Estate Agent

Every real estate agent has had a client or two facing the problem of annoying neighbors. He or she will have some ideas and suggestions to help deflect the negativity an unruly or messy neighbor can cause. Don’t stress too much over it. Get your home ready for sale, and trust your real estate agent to know how to handle showings at the best times.

Do your part, and hopefully, your neighbor will be on their best behavior when your home is being shown to prospective buyers. If you are a good neighbor, you’ll be appreciated by the family living next door.

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10 Actions That Make Your Home Sell Faster

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Most homeowners prefer a quick sale over a slow one. Putting your home on the market at the same time that buyers are actively searching your neighborhood often leads to a fast sale. Fortunately, you can take matters into your own hands by simply using the following tips to promote your home’s sale.

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Setting the Price Accurately

The price tag you place on your home’s value influences how quickly it sells. Setting the price accurately gives your home an equal footing against the competition. Overpricing your home promotes the likelihood that your home is going to sit on the market untouched for many months. An experienced real estate agent can assist you in setting an accurate price.

Creating Curb Appeal

Your yard creates your buyer’s first impression of your property. If the yard is properly maintained, a potential buyer is likely to have a positive reaction. In addition to mowing the lawn and weeding, take the time to trim bushes and hedges.

Curb appeal involves more than the yard. It includes the home’s exterior appearance. Make sure that the shutters, woodwork, and doors are clean and attractive. If necessary, add a fresh coat of paint or hire a professional tradesman to make essential repairs to the shutters or windows.

Today’s trash and recycling bins come in large sizes and bright colors. Make sure that your bins are clean on the exterior and tucked in a hidden corner somewhere on your property.

Keeping the Price Slightly Below the Competition

Listing your home slightly below the asking price of similar homes in the neighborhood may lead to positive results. A lower price can encourage prospective buyers to look at your home first before viewing the other houses. Listing your home one or two thousand dollars less than the competition’s price can persuade buyers to pick your house when they like two properties equally.

Homes for sale in Fulshear

Advertising Amenities in the Neighborhood

Buyers are interested in more than just your home. They also want to know about the surrounding amenities. Your listing should include important points such as accessibility to excellent schools, recreational facilities, highways, airports, and shopping areas. You may even want to include a list of exceptional eateries in the area.

Showcasing Recent Improvements

Selling your home quickly is easier if you make sure buyers know about all of your recent upgrades. If you’ve had any work done to the house recently, make sure that the details are included in the property’s listing. A new roof, window upgrades, or renovated basement are important selling features.

Knowing Your Neighbors Well Enough to Promote Their Positive Attributes

Do you know your neighbors? Today’s buyers often have questions about who else is living in the neighborhood. Be sure that you can answer that question if asked.

Homes For Sale In Katy

Staging at Least Three Bedrooms

Staging your home to attract as many potential buyers is critical to your success in selling your property quickly. A 3-bedroom home is attractive to many buyers, including newlyweds planning a family to couples with two or more children. If your home has three bedrooms, stage them as such. Buyers are smart enough to know that one of these rooms can easily be transformed into an office or hobby room. Staging three rooms as bedrooms simply gives the house a cozier atmosphere that is appealing to families looking to move into a larger home.

Is buying a home in today’s market a good financial move?

Completing Necessary Maintenance Tasks

Unless buyers are actively searching for a fixer-upper home, they don’t want to need to fix anything once they move into a house. Be sure to complete necessary maintenance on each of your home’s utilities, including electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. Fix squeaky doors, windows that stick, and leaky faucets. Hire a professional tradesman to complete work that requires specialized skills to ensure the safety of your repairs.

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Decluttering Each Room

Once you accept the importance of decluttering, you’ll find this task easier to complete. It does take time to get pare down your possessions, but doing so enhances the spaciousness of your home. For example, cleaning out the closets allows potential buyers the opportunity to envision expansive storage space. Pack up everything you won’t be using while trying to sell your home. You’ll need to move it anyway.

Cleaning Every Nook and Cranny

Thoroughly cleaning your home prior to showing it is a critical aspect of getting a fast sale. Not only does cleaning present your home in a positive light, but it also promotes the impression of a well-maintained property. Buyers can move in without worrying about having to clean.

Several factors influence the speed with which a home sells. The most important of these include the quantity of homes for sale and the number of buyers actively looking. Nonetheless, it is possible to promote the sale of your home simply by taking time to ensure it is in tip-top shape from top to bottom. Completing these tasks should increase the speed with which you sell your home, as well as the price you receive once you sell it.

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5434 Woodbury St, Weston Lakes, TX 77441

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300621Woodbury St 5434Aer0002This beautiful home in Woodbury is surrounded by lush greenery including manicured lawns and trimmed hedges and tall trees to relax under.

Home for sale at 5434 Woodbury St. Weston Lakes, TX 77441

5434 Woodbury St. Weston Lakes, TX 77441 is the ideal home to lay down your roots and start a family.

The property has 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, a living room and dining room attached, a recreation room with a bar, a laundry room, an office, and even a wine cellar. The sprawling house occupies an area of 4038 sq. ft on the first floor and 924 sq. ft on the second floor, for a total of 4962 sq. ft.

Don’t miss your chance to own this beautiful home surrounded by lush green views under open skies. It has bedrooms and dining rooms with Walnut flooring and tiled bathrooms and kitchens. You can even relax in the pool in the backyard under the shade of tall trees.

You can also sit and enjoy the outdoor view from the inside through the glass windows separating the pool and the patio. Enjoy the beautiful aesthetic of traditional European architecture blended with all the modern conveniences of 21st century life.

Trimmed hedges and manicured lawns await you along with beautiful living rooms, lavish game rooms and bedrooms that you can retreat to for heavenly slumber.

Call today to purchase your dream home!

 

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It’s Cold Like Never Before! Be Prepared Texas

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Fort Bend County Cold Weather Safty Tips

Houstonians will be experiencing colder temperatures like never before. At Terra Point Realty, safety is our number one priority, so we are offering the following tips to ensure a safe and cozy house:

Electric 

High snow, winds, ice, and storms could trigger downed power lines in isolated areas. Always assume a down power line or wires are energized and possibly dangerous if contacted.

  • Do not go near downed power lines or fallen cables.
  • Keep your distance from items touching downed lines (tree limbs, vehicles, fences, etc.).
  • If someone made contact with a power line, do not attempt and rescue them – you can not help if you become a victim. Instead, call 911.
  • If you see downed power lines or fallen cables, report to 713-207-2222 or 800-332-7143.

Natural Gas

  • Ensure your heating system is working correctly

When a home has heating equipment that malfunctions, it can cause a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Check the exterior vents of the furnace to ensure they are free from ice or snow. Maintain your furnace filter clean for safe, efficient functionality.

  • Utilize space heaters safely 

Use a space heater using an automatic shut-off, also keep children, pets, and all things at least three feet away. While using a space heater that is gas, propane, or wood, you will need to make sure you vent outside. Never use stoves or ovens for heating space.

  • Check your carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke detectors. 

These devices are crucial to warn you of a fire or harmful malfunction using a furnace, water heater, fireplace, or stove. Test your alarms monthly and change batteries yearly.

  • Immediately report a suspected gas leak.

 Should you smell the “rotten egg” odor of natural gas, then immediately leave on foot, proceed to a safe place, and call both 911 and CenterPoint Energy at 713-659-2111 or 800-752-8036. Do not use electric switches, phones (including cell phones), drive or start a vehicle, or do anything that would ignite.

Energy Efficiency

 Cold temperatures also mean greater electricity use. Terra Point Realty recommends the following tips for more efficient heating:

Furnace 

A furnace is the ultimate natural gas-consuming appliance.

  • Place your thermostat no higher than 68 degrees. If possible, place it at 65 degrees when you are home and 60 degrees while away. Reducing your thermostat can save you in your annual heating expenses.
  • You can install a programmable thermostat to help you automatically control your heating usage. 
  • Add on extra layers of clothes to keep warm.

Other appliances: 

Although they consume less natural gas, you may still maximize their efficiency.

  • When using your washing machine, dishwasher, and gas dryer, run them with full loads only.

Make your home more airtight and keep cold air outside:

  • Seal leaks around doors, windows, and other openings such as pipes or ducts, with caulk or weather-stripping. The most common areas where air escapes in houses are floors, walls, ceilings, chimneys, fireplaces, plumbing penetrations, doors, windows, fans, vents, and electrical outlets.

Discover even more energy-saving tips to help you save energy.

For the latest information on power outages:

  • Sign up for Power Alert Service for details on individual outages;
  • Follow @cnpalerts and visit Outage Tracker for general outage locations; and
  • Visit CenterPointEnergy’s Storm Center for more electric and natural gas safety tips and other resources.
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Frustrated young couple being wronged each other sitting on sofa in living room and not talking because of home purchase.

Buying a House 2021? Limit Emotional Stress During Buying Experience

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Buying a house is one of the most significant decisions of your lifetime. Even in a perfect situation — a buyers market with loads of affordable houses to select from and scant competition –, it is not something to take lightly. And today’s buyers aren’t living that perfectly: Costs are rising quickly, and competition for the few houses available often contributes to bidding wars (fortunately, there are a few powerful ways to prepare for this ) — all of which may cause anxiety and stress. Do I need to sell a home?

While record-low mortgage rates make buying a house an enticing opportunity and having your place — possibly with a backyard and a pup (well-behaved, naturally!) — might seem like a dream, others are dreaming this same dream.

To top it off, the COVID-19 pandemic has attracted plenty of its psychological baggage and logistical challenges.

While not intended as medical information, Christina Koepp provides some general pointers to help prepare for the psychological journey of finding and purchasing a house.

What makes buying a house such a stressful experience?

CK: There’s almost no area of our lives that is left unaffected by such a monumental decision—deciding what community of Greater Houston to live in and buying a home taps into all parts of the mind: the basic need for shelter, the attachment needs for a safe place to connect with ourselves, family, and others, and the existential question of how our lives will look in this new place and neighborhood.

To take the risk and create an offer on the house, we will need to be prepared to attach to a different place to live and — simultaneously — hold it loosely enough that it will not be devastating to get rid of the bid. It is a narrow path of guarded optimism.

How is the present health crisis adding to these pressures?

CK: We all know that most people are more stressed and anxious At the moment at a baseline. There has been enormous and continued disruption to many lives, making it more probable that individuals will crave consistency and predictability in the place where they can create it.

You may be outbid, and you might have disagreements with your home-buying partner, etc. Suppose you are more anxious, more stressed, or undergoing disrupted sleep or low mood because of the pandemic. In that case, a significant decision like this will be compounded by those current challenges.

Homes for sale in Fulshear

How do people mentally prepare for a competitive bidding process in a competitive market?

CK: There’s a balancing act of being vulnerable enough to Envision your new life in a new place and creating new memories. — that takes risks — while balancing that with the very healthy protective impulse of not attaching entirely too early and too fast until it is assured.

It makes home-buying hard because our emotional reaction to each home is, in fact, a significant part of any decision-making procedure. You”fall in love” with each house you see, there leaves little space for discerning which is the ideal match, and you can quickly become mentally fatigued with every lost bid or opportunity.

Here are some helpful tips:

Identify your hopes, tastes, and layout design dreams in general terms. While you consider each home, ask yourself, “How will I feel if I do not get this home.” If you feel concerned about losing, talk to someone (especially the person you might be buying with) about how excited you are about the house features. Notice if you are veering into, “Only this home has this unique element!” Sticking with your overall preferences — upgraded home, architecture design, neighborhood, amenities, etc. — will help remind you that there’s more than one home where you’ll find joy and contentment.

Identify your must-haves and must not haves as clearly as you can. Narrow down before you begin your search if you are only interested in a condominium with three or more bedrooms or a home with a garage. It is easy to become trapped in a house with some great qualities, although it falls into the deal-breaker category. If you end up in this position, offer yourself the elegance; this will not always be a neat and tidy process — you get to be human in the middle of it.

Homes For Sale In Katy

Do you have any plans or tips buyers may use on unsuccessful offer?

Give pause to reflect, then move on to the next.  Sometimes everything happens for a reason. Notice what was so disappointing — did it seem to have everything you wanted? Finding a chance to feel gratitude will counter the propensity to dwell solely on what was lost. It is also useful considering if it did have everything you wanted, or — more likely — most of what you desired.

Learn from every home offer loss. In my experience, each bidding process is different; note what you’re astonished by and incorporate it into your strategy for future bids.

What general advice would you give to someone in the middle of buying a home right now?

CK: Prepare for a marathon, even if it’s only a sprint. You won’t know how long it will take to get an offer accepted. It might be a few homes you offer to purchase, and it may be 12. Having the expectations flexible and as expansive sets us up for less disappointment.

It can be easy to doubt your judgment, become angry with your home-buying partner, or becoming obsessed with house hunting. These responses are understandable! (Remember earlier when we recognized how important this decision is?) Being kind means finding ways to relax, refresh and incorporate each step on the way. This might be taking a brief break from scrolling through home listings to recenter yourself, preparing a satisfying meal following any lost opportunity, or being deliberate about getting to bed earlier, if you’re able to.

For many people, it is helpful to say out loud what is rolling around in their thoughts. Some want to write. Whatever works best for you, try to share the challenges, insights, dreams, and goals you notice. Bear in mind that you’re searching for a house during an extraordinary time, so be conscious of the additional stress that may involve. The more we’re aware of our rising wave of anxiety, the more likely we will tap into our methods to handle that stress. Reach out frequently to loved ones to maintain your alertness, energy, and perspective in keeping with your goals and hopes.

Bear in mind, these tips are intended as general guidance. If you have particular concerns, are fighting, or need assistance, contact a licensed mental health professional.

If you are ready to take another step on your home-buying journey, you’ll find information for local Agents Who can help you through the buying process and help you discover the ideal home.

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Is Owning a Home More Affordable Than Renting One

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If spending more time at home in the past year really makes you think about purchasing a new home instead of renting one, you’re not alone. You may wonder, however, whether the dollars and cents add up in your favor as housing prices continue to rise.

According to experts, in most cases, it’s still more affordable to buy a home than rent one. Here’s why.

Owning a three-bedroom house at an average price is cheaper than renting a three-bedroom property.
This has happened even though median house prices have gone up more than the average rent over the last year.

ATTOM Data Solutions recently released the 2021 Rental Affordability Report, which states:

Owning A Home VS Renting Affordability, How is this possible to 

The answer: historically low mortgage interest rates. Todd Teta, Chief Product Officer with ATTOM Data Solutions, explains:

House prices are growing at a faster rate than rents and wages in most of the country. However, home ownership is even more affordable, as surprisingly low mortgage rates, which have fallen below 3%, help keep the cost of rising house prices down.

In 2020, mortgage rates reached all-time lows 16 times, and so far, they’re continuing to hover in low territory this year. These low rates are a big factor in driving affordability. Teta also notes:

It’s startling to see that kind of trend. But it shows how both the cost of renting has been relatively high compared to the cost of ownership and how declining interest rates are having a notable impact on the housing market and home ownership. The coming year is totally uncertain, amid so many questions connected to the Coronavirus pandemic and the broader economy. But right now, owning a home still appears to be a financially-sound choice for those who can afford it.

How to calculate your home mortgage payment estimate.

Owning A Home, Bottom Line

If you’re thinking about buying a house this year, join us today to discuss options that fit your budget when affordability is in your favor.

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Is Buying A Home Today A Good Financial Move?

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Is Buying a Home Now a Good Financial Move For Your Familly?

20201124 KCM Share

There’s no doubt 2020 has been a challenging year. A global pandemic coupled with an economic recession has caused heartache for many. However, it has also prompted more Americans to reconsider the meaning of “home.” This quest for a place better equipped to fulfill our needs, along with record-low mortgage rates, has skyrocketed the demand for home purchases.

This increase in demand, on top of the severe shortage of homes for sale, has also caused more bidding wars and thus has home prices appreciating rather dramatically. Some, therefore, have become cautious about buying a home right now.

The truth of the matter is, even though homes have appreciated by a whopping 6.7% over the last twelve months, the cost to buy a home has actually dropped. This is largely due to mortgage rates falling by a full percentage point.

Let’s take a look at the monthly mortgage payments on a $300,000 house one year ago, and then compare it with that same home today, after it has appreciated by 6.7% to $320,100:20201124 MEM Eng 1Compared to this time last year, you’ll actually save $87 dollars a month by purchasing that home today, which equates to over one thousand dollars a year.

Buying A Home Today, But isn’t the economy still in a recession?

Yes, it is. That, however, may make it the perfect time to buy your first home or move up to a larger one. Tom Gil, a Harvard trained negotiator and real estate investor, recently explained:

“When volatile assets are facing recessions, hard assets, such as gold and real estate, thrive. Historically speaking, residential real estate has done better compared to other markets during and after recessions.”

That thought is substantiated by the fact that homeowners have 40 times the net worth of renters. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation, recently said:

“Despite the risk of volatility in the housing market, numerous studies have demonstrated that homeownership leads to greater wealth accumulation when compared with renting. Renters don’t capture the wealth generated by house price appreciation. Nor do they benefit from the equity gains generated by monthly mortgage payments.  This equity gain becomes a form of forced savings for homeowners.”

Bottom Line

With home prices still increasing and mortgage rates perhaps poised to begin rising as well, buying your first home, or moving up to a home that better fits your current needs, likely makes a ton of sense.

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Homes For Sale In The Fulshear, Simonton, South Brookshire Area

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Homes For Sale In The Fulshear, Simonton, South Brookshire Area

Stay Informed about real estate activities with our analysis of homes for sale in the Fulshear Area.  Get a market overview instantly without the worry of being contacted.  No signup needed.

 

See how the number of days a home is actively on the market. 

 Know if home prices are going up or being reducing.

Get the average cost per square foot.

Know your competition before you make any decisions.

Get the average list price for the area.

 

Contact Me If You Need Help

Stacy Burgin Homes For Sale In the Fulshear Area

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Make sure to get your new home inspection by a licensed home inspector

Inspection For Your Home And When Is It Done

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A home inspector job is to look over the home from top to bottom. The buyer has the choice of whether to have an inspection completed or not, but it’s always highly recommended. The home inspector will provide a written statement with results to the buyer. The home inspection process should always take place before the end of the option period. Therefore, if the inspection report shows the house in a different light, you can walk away without losing the earnest money.   

Homes For Sale In Katy

What To Expect During A Home Inspection:

  1. A home inspector will look at interior plumbing, HVAC system, and electrical systems. They will inspect the roof, windows and doors, floors, attic, basement, and structural components.
  2. A home inspection takes typically two to four hours but may take longer depending on the home size.
  3. We advise buyers to attend the home inspection so you can see in detail your new home and ask the inspector any questions. Buyers will get more informative information than just reading a report.

Home Inspection Checklist: 

According to the American Society of Home Inspectors’ (ASHI), the inspector will review the following.

  1. Roof
  2. Attic, including visible insulation
  3. Walls
  4. Heating system
  5. Central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
  6. Interior plumbing and electrical system
  7. Floors
  8. Ceilings
  9. Windows and doors
  10. Foundation
  11. Basement
  12. Structural components

Paying for an expert 

The buyer normally pays for a house inspection. However, you can negotiate the seller pays for the home inspection.

At times, sellers get a home inspection before they list their home for sale. The seller’s inspection report can provide the owner with an opportunity to fix or replace the issue before the home ever hits the market for sale.

However, we recommend that our buyers obtain their report after we have an excepted contract. We believe in always having an arm-length transaction, having an expert that does not have any ties with the seller or seller’s agent.   

Why Sell With Terra Point Realty

How much is a home inspection  

HomeAdvisor has the national average cost for a home inspection right around $336. In the Greater Houston Area, like Fulshear, Texas, the price comes in about $278 to $399. Low-end start around $200 to the high end of $500. The actual cost also depends on where the home is, as well as the home’s size. Some home inspections have a fixed price for homes up to 2000 square feet and will add $25 for every 500 square feet.

Remember, the cheapest isn’t always the best. Even though Texas requires a license to be a home inspector, ensure the inspector is sufficiently qualified and has the experience. Picking an ASHI member may add some reassurance on who to pick. Your ASHI home inspector holds themselves to a standard of being competent and ethical.  

 

Homes for sale in Fulshear

 

Can there be other types of inspection costs

Buyers are sometimes advised in the inspection report to have other types of home inspections done. There may be a need to obtain other specialty reports concerning the possible presence of:

  • Mold
  • Lead Piping or Paint
  • Termites
  • Asbestos
  • Radon

Asbestos and lead were commonly used in constructing older homes. These construction materials are not legal for use in newer homes. Sometimes buyers will require the inspector to check the sewer pipes with a camera.  

How long does a home inspection take

In the Greater Houston Texas area, the home inspection varies, depending on several factors:

  1. Number of defects
  2. The size of the house
  3. How the homeowner has prepared the home for inspection
  4. The attention to detail of the inspector

Expect two to four hours for your home inspection unless there are unusual circumstances.

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