Home inspection for resale apartments

A home inspection (bedek bayit) for a resale apartment usually means different checks than for a new apartment. As a recommended home inspection company, we explain here what we check, when to schedule it, and why it is worth doing even for an apartment that isn't new.

Why a resale apartment still needs inspecting

Many people assume only old apartments need checking, but even a new apartment bought from a contractor a few years ago still counts as "resale." You cannot know whether the previous owner had it thoroughly inspected when they took it over, or what defects have appeared since.

Leaks and electrical faults often surface only years after an apartment is first used, and you don't want to be the owner stuck paying to fix them.

There are many reasons to have a resale apartment inspected, including avoiding a drawn-out court battle with the seller. The Tel Aviv Magistrates' Court recently heard the case of the Dvir family, who bought a resale apartment from its previous owners in 2009.

They later found defects in the apartment and sued for compensation, covering both the repairs and their distress and loss of enjoyment of the home.

The family spent years pursuing the seller, who denied responsibility throughout. The court eventually ruled in their favor, but a home inspection could have spared them that ordeal in the first place.

What to look for in a home inspection company

What should you look for when choosing a home inspection company?

1. Years of experience in the field.
2. Advanced technology used to reach the most accurate diagnosis.
3. A report that will hold up in court if needed.
4. Availability and a fast, effective response.

Arad Engineers has provided apartment buyers with a professional service for many years: checking for construction defects and workmanship quality, and issuing an engineering opinion that covers every defect found.

That opinion can also be prepared as a legal expert opinion, admissible in court proceedings if needed. Our reports cover even the smallest details and include a price estimate for the repairs. Several engineers with construction and building-inspection experience work at our company.

What a resale-apartment inspection checks

Buyers should never take the inspection of a property lightly. It can spare them a great deal of distress that comes from buying an apartment as is.
Buying a resale apartment differs from buying new from a contractor: with a new apartment you can require the contractor to fix any defects found,

but with a resale apartment, once you have bought it there is usually no one left to hold responsible. That is why we recommend a construction defect inspection and making the entire sale conditional on its results: once the contract is signed and ownership transfers, there is normally no one to turn to for construction defects.

The engineering inspections our specialist engineers carry out with advanced equipment help surface defects that could affect your decision to buy. Our engineers can find structural cracks, hidden leaks and dampness, safety issues, and more.

In rare cases where the seller knew about a defect and did not disclose it, the buyer may be able to demand a fix, but in most resale purchases the buyer takes the property with all its advantages and defects included.

Finding these problems, as noted, can help you decide before you buy, and elsewhere it gives you solid ground for negotiating the price, since repair costs can be deducted from it.

In short, the answer to what a home inspection includes is not simple: it depends on what the initial inspection finds and on what the client wants.

When to schedule a resale apartment inspection

Inspecting a resale apartment before you buy is an engineering inspection meant to find visible and hidden defects in the property. It is essential for anyone negotiating the purchase of a home or investment property on the resale market.

The findings can help you in several ways: deciding whether the deal is worthwhile, negotiating the final price, and pinning down exactly what the repairs will cost.

One thing to keep in mind: a pre-purchase inspection is usually arranged by the prospective buyer, so it requires the owner's full consent. If an owner refuses to allow it, we recommend reconsidering the deal. Either way, it is worth insisting on a home inspection before you get the keys.

For a new home, order the inspection after Form 4 (occupancy permit) is issued but before you move in. There is no point inspecting before the contractor has finished the work or before the municipality has granted occupancy approval.

Follow our Facebook page for more.