Inspections are an important part of home buying, but the inspection process can be nerve-racking for both buyers and sellers. Both parties want the deal to go through without a hitch. However, sometimes problems surface that the buyers weren’t aware of when they entered into contract.

All houses have defects, even new ones. So it should come as no surprise when defects are discovered. The pertinent issues are: Is there a problem? How serious is the problem? How much will it cost to repair?

A home inspector may have a contractor’s license. But, few inspectors also are engineers, architects, and plumbing, heating, roofing, wood pest (termite) and drainage contractors. Nor are they pool, spa, sprinkler or security-alarm specialists. For this reason, most home inspection reports are loaded with disclaimers and recommendations to contact the appropriate specialist to evaluate the severity of a problem.

HOUSE HUNTING TIP: It’s highly recommended that buyers follow up with further inspections, and get estimates to repair defects that are a concern before removing an inspection contingency. An inspection contingency protects the buyers, but only if they carry through and complete necessary inspections.

Don’t be surprised if a second opinion confuses rather than clarifies an issue. For example, a home inspector might be concerned about the internal mechanics of an older furnace. And, he may not have the expertise necessary to say with confidence that there is no problem. So, he recommends that the buyers consult with a licensed heating contractor.

Just because an inspector suspects there might be a problem doesn’t mean that one exists. Several years ago, buyers of an older home in the Oakland Hills east of San Francisco were advised to have a heating contractor check the furnace because the home inspector thought it might need replacing for safety reasons. A furnace with a cracked heat exchanger leaks carbon monoxide fumes that can be deadly.

The buyers called in a heating contractor who inspected the furnace and said that it needed replacing. The buyers were disappointed, but wanted to continue with the sale. So they asked the sellers to share in the expense of a new furnace.

The sellers weren’t convinced that the furnace needed replacing. And they didn’t want to contribute to the cost of a new one if it wasn’t necessary. They contacted a second reputable furnace contractor who inspected the furnace and said it was fine and didn’t need replacing.

To resolve the dispute, the buyers and sellers agreed to call in an inspector from the local utility company who would have red-tagged the furnace and put it out of commission if it was dangerous. The verdict was that the furnace was fine and had years of life left.

More and more, sellers are having their homes inspected by professionals before putting their homes on the market. This is done so that sellers have an opportunity to make repairs before marketing or for disclosure purposes.

It is risky for sellers to hide a bad report from buyers. There have been cases where sellers chose not to give the buyers a report they didn’t like. Later, the buyers coincidentally called in the same contractor for an opinion who informed the buyers that they had already done a report on the house for the sellers.

Lawsuits have resulted from sellers withholding detrimental reports, although disclosure laws vary from state to state. Check with a knowledgeable real estate attorney for answers to questions about a seller’s disclosure obligations.

THE CLOSING: Sellers who aren’t pleased with a report should consider getting a second opinion and disclose both reports to the buyers.

There’s a movement underway to lessen the impact that homes have on the environment, and both new and existing homeowners alike are doing their part by taking simple steps in the right direction. If you’re not sure how to join in, here are six ways to make your own home a little greener right now:

Switch to CFLs
Go through your home and find all of the light bulbs that you picked up at the grocery store and replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which not only last longer, but also reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions coming out of your home and into the environment. A CFL bulb uses 75 percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, generates 450 fewer pounds of greenhouse gases from power plants and lasts 10 times longer than its incandescent cousin. Learn more about CFL usage online at: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls  

Use ENERGY STAR®
When it comes time to replace or upgrade that refrigerator or washer, select only ENERGY STAR® qualified products, which cost 10 to 30 percent less in operating costs to run. Using energy efficient products and practices, the ENERGY STAR® program saved enough energy last year to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars — all while saving $14 billion on utility bills. More than 50 types of products can earn the ENERGY STAR®, including appliances, lighting, home electronics and home office equipment. Find out which appliances qualify at www.energystar.gov.

Avoid VOC-Based Paints
Volatile Organic Compounds or “VOCs” have been a key component of the composition of oil-based paint, and can also be found in traditional latex based paints. Exposure to VOC’s in paint can trigger asthma attacks, eye irritation and respiratory problems, nausea and dizziness, among other symptoms. Prolonged exposure has been linked to kidney and liver disease and even cancer. The good news is that alternatives are available, and are endorsed by the “Green Seal®” certification (based on VOC content, the absence of chemicals, durability and performance among other criteria). These alternatives include low-odor or low-VOC paint, zero-VOC paint and non-toxic or natural paint. Find out more about your healthier options at: http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm

Harvest Rainwater
Did you know that every inch of rain translates into nearly 600 gallons of water for every 1,000 square feet of roof? Environmentally-conscious homeowners are tapping this natural resource and reducing reliance on other water sources by using rainwater harvesting systems that are installed on a home’s roof, which serves as the catchment area. Gutters act as the conveyance system, while cisterns hold the water and are complemented by a pump-based delivery system and a filter- and/or purifier-based treatment setup. Such systems can be added to existing roofs, or installed on new homes, and used to minimize the 100 to 250 gallons of water that the typical American pulls from their municipal systems or private wells. Check out the Rainwater Harvesting Community for more information: http://www.harvesth2o.com/

Be Water Efficient
Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are all hotbeds for excessive water usage. Cut the waste by installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, both of which help save resources without sacrificing water pressure. Use front-end loading washing machines, which not only save water but also treat your clothing better because they lack a middle “spinner” that thrashes the garments around. Finally, consider installing dual-flush commodes, which use a variable amount of water, depending on how much is needed. See the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site for more information on water efficiency: http://epa.gov/watersense/

Tune up Your Home
Lessen your home’s impact on the environment by tuning it up in a few key areas: the HVAC system, windows and doors, and insulation. A professional HVAC checkup costs about $100 and can save you 5 to 10 percent on heating and cooling bills, while also cutting down on the carbon dioxide emissions coming out of your home. Don’t forget to clean or replace your filters monthly. Upgrade your windows and doors with energy-efficient models, improve their efficiency by replacing old weatherstripping, and make sure your home’s walls and attic are well insulated. If they are not, enlist a contractor who will use a “blown-in” insulation technique to fill in any voids that may be causing hot or cool air to escape. The California Energy Center provides more great ideas for homeowners at www.consumerenergycenter.org.  

The first rule of inspecting a home you want to buy is to stay intimately involved in the process, and to leave no stone unturned. If you’re busy or traveling during the time period, you have to complete your due diligence investigations by enlisting the aid of a friend you trust to stand in on your behalf — someone who will keep you well informed as inspections proceed.

Buyers want to be sure they get a good deal on the home they buy. This is especially so if they’re buying in a soft market. Whether a property is a good deal depends on its condition, its location and the price paid.

Most buyers don’t take the inspection process far enough. They hire a home inspector to do a general home inspection to make sure that all systems are in working order and that there aren’t any serious defects that might affect their decision to buy or not.

For some buyers, this constitutes their due diligence inspection of the property. But, in many cases, simply having a home inspection done is not enough to ensure that you don’t end up regretting you bought the property.

Most home inspectors recommend further inspections. Some buyers take these admonitions seriously and some don’t. A recommendation that is often overlooked is to research the permit history.

If you don’t check the permit history, you could find out later, when you want to take out a permit for a renovation, that there are expired permits for work that never received a final approval from the city inspector. You might be required to reinstate the expired permits and finish the job to the building department’s satisfaction before you can take out a permit for a new project. This could be expensive, take time, and at the least, be a hassle.

Another item buyers ignore is the cost of routine home maintenance. Some homes cost more to maintain than others. Well-maintained homes will be easier to maintain because you’ll have little deferred maintenance to repair.

Ask the sellers for information about how much they pay per year for tree trimming, painting, and servicing house systems such as the roof, furnace and drainage systems. Also ask how much the utility bills run in an average winter and summer month. All of this will factor into the cost of owning the home. Buyers usually focus on the price they’ll pay upfront for a house. How much it will cost them over time should also be factored into the total cost of home ownership.

HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Buyers tend to pay more attention to the condition of the home they’re buying than they do to finding out all they need to know about the area in which they’ll be living. The home you buy is not a good value if you find out a year later that the neighborhood is declining. Make sure you find out if homeowners are moving in or out of the area. If you see a lot of remodeling going on in a neighborhood, this is a good sign that the homeowners plan to stay put. Another good sign is if there are few listings and the ones that come on the market sell quickly. This indicates a high demand for the neighborhood.

You’ll also want to find out about crime in the neighborhood, and whether or not there is development planned in the area that might have a positive or negative impact on the neighborhood. And check into the general state of the local economy.

THE CLOSING: Are businesses hiring new employees or issuing pink slips?