Home Inspections - Buying & Selling - What To Expect And Intro To The Inspection Forms
Seattle area real estate Buyers & Sellers - the purpose of this article is to give you an idea of what to expect with regards to home inspections for residential home purchases/sales in the Seattle/Bellevue, King County, Snohomish County, and Pierce County areas. After an offer is accepted and the real estate purchase & sale agreement (contract) is mutual, if the Inspection Form 35 is included checking the box that there will be an inspection. The Buyer has __ days (how ever many are filled in) to conduct an inspection as stated on Form 35.
Buyers - You may find your own licensed home inspector, your Realtor will likely know some they can recommend, or you could ask friends for recommendations. When establishing the number of days for the inspection deadline - be sure you will be in town and available. It is ideal if you can attend the inspection. It’s a great chance to spend 1-3 hours in the home, the home inspector can show you how some things work, point out defects or concerns, you can ask questions, etc… The home inspector will be running the shower, checking for moisture around the toilet, turning heat up or down to test heating and cooling, looking at the electrical panel, and running the dishwasher, washer, dryer, garbage disposal, and other appliances. The home inspector will also be going in the attic and crawlspace, on the roof, and testing and looking at all the parts of the home that are visible (they will not be cutting into walls). The home inspector will take photos and provide a summary, as well as a detailed home inspection report. The Form 35 (Inspection Addendum Form) also states you may (or may not) conduct a sewer scope - which is usually a separate company who sends a camera into the sewer line to see if there are any holes in the sewer, roots growing into the pipes, or other concerns.
The home inspector will take a close look at the electrical panel and other systems.
Photo: Jerome Kukowski, of Lasswell Home Inspections checks the electrical panel and explains any concerns to excited new home buyer, Michelle.
Sellers - Be aware that the home inspector, licensed agent/broker, and buyers will need to be at the home for 1-3 hours (depending on the size of the home) and the seller should plan to vacate the premise during this time. While the home inspector will try to clean up after themselves, you may notice that they have looked at and tested all the systems and parts of the home. If you have product info for appliances, warranty info, repair invoices, and other documents about features of the home, make them available for potential buyers to see (perhaps in a binder or drawer). Below is a brochure with a quick list of tips to prepare your home for the inspection to help you eliminate red flags, make it a pleasant experience for the Buyer, and ultimately help you with a successful home sale.
As a Seller, here are some tips for preparing your home for the home inspection, compliments of Key Inspection Services.
Here is what the Inspection Form 35 - section 1-A says:
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Addendum - Form 35 - Section 1A
Some important things to note are:
The home inspection must be performed by Buyer (themselves) or a person licensed (or exempt from licensing) under Chapter 18.280 RCW. (Here is a link to the Washington State Law details for Home Inspectors.)
Exemption From Licensing (as stated in the RCW): The following persons are exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter when acting within the scope of their license or profession (1) Engineers; (2) Architects; (3) Electricians licensed under chapter 19.28 RCW; (4) Plumbers licensed under chapter 18.106 RCW; (5) Pesticide operators licensed under chapter 17.21 RCW; (6) Structural pest inspectors licensed under chapter 15.58 RCW; or (7) Certified real estate appraisers licensed under chapter 18.140 RCW.
Read the form - it has very clear and specific information.
If your Realtor is recommending a few different home inspectors - they should use Form 41D -Inspector Referral Disclosure. The Realtor doesn’t dictate who you use, hire them, nor pay for this. The Buyer should interview inspectors, choose their own, and pay for the service out of pocket at time of service - usually by check or credit card. The cost can range usually between $250-$750, depending upon the size of the home.
After the inspection is completed and before the deadline has passed, the Buyer will then submit the Form Inspection Response 35R and check one of the 4 boxes: 1) approved, 2) disapproved/terminated, 3) additional inspection, or 4) modification request (repairs, price change, or money towards closing). There are 3 sections to the form. Section 1 - Buyer’s Response or Request for Repairs or Modifications, 2 - Seller’s Response to Buyer’s Request for Repairs or Modifications, and 3 - Buyer’s Reply to Seller’s Response. Here is what section 1 of that Form 35R - Inspection Response looks like:
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Response Form 35R - Section 1 - Buyer’s Response
The home inspector will even go in the crawlspace and attic to take photos of any concerns.
Photo: Jerome Kukowski, of Lasswell Home Inspections “suits up” before going into the crawlspace and takes care to cover carpet as it can be a messy job.
If the home inspector makes a recommendation for additional inspections - for example; HVAC, plumbing, electrical, structural, roofing, chimney mason, etc… section “b” of Form 35 allows for __ days for additional inspection. If the Buyer decides to have additional inspection(s), they will check the 3rd option on Form 35R to notify the Seller of the additional inspection(s), schedule with the specialists and their buyer broker. The buyer’s broker will deliver the forms per MLS process along with the section of the inspection report where the home inspector recommends an additional inspection be conducted by a specialist. Then the buyer’s broker will schedule another time with the listing broker/seller to conduct the additional inspection(s). The Seller should expect to leave the home for another 1-3 hours (depending on how long the inspection(s) will take). A licensed real estate professional will use the keybox to obtain the key and always be present during any and all home inspections. During the additional inspection time, Buyer has the right to bring a specialist in. This doesn’t have to be a licensed professional, like the initial time frame. This could be a contractor specializing in the field. Here is what section b of Form 35 Inspection Addendum looks like:
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Addendum - Form 35 - Section 1B
After the inspections are done and before the deadline passes, the Buyer will submit the Inspection Response Form 35R - Section 1 - Buyer’s Response checking options 1, 2 or 4. If the Buyer requests modifications. Seattle King County Association of Realtors legal hotline lawyer, Annie Fitzsimmons, suggests the description is short and to the point. “Price shall be changed to $___ or Seller shall provide $___ towards Buyer’s allowable closing costs”… We could refer to why in the email, but it is not recommended to specify on the form, since the mortgage company may use that information to reject the loan. If Buyer is requesting repairs, the Buyer should seriously consider being specific, especially if they have had a specialist perform additional inspections and created a scope of work and proposal. For example, “Seller shall hire ___ contractor to perform ___ repairs as described on attached proposal ____.”
As it states in lines 29-32 of Form 35 Inspection Addendum, “If Buyer fails to give timely notice, then this inspection contingency shall be deemed waived and Seller shall not be obligated to make any repairs or modifications. Buyer shall not provide the inspection report, or portions of the report, to Seller, unless Seller requests or as required by paragraph 1.b.”
Once the Form 35R is submitted by the Buyer to the Seller, if asking for modifications or repairs, the Seller than has __ days to respond. Here is what section c of Form 35 Inspection looks like:
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Addendum Form 35 - Section 1C (pg. 1)
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Addendum Form 35 - Section 1C (pg. 2)
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Response Form 35R - Sections 2&3
Negotiating repairs and modifications is complex and should be discussed with your real estate professional. After 15+ years in real estate, I have seen a lot and have lots of information and strategy to share with my clients. Buyers - please pay close attention to lines 56-60 of this form (directly above). The Buyer’s second reply is their final chance to reach an agreement. There are other sections of the forms not covered in this article, such as: Oil Storage Tanks, On-Site Sewage Disposal System Advisory, Neighborhood Review Contingency, Pre-Inspection Conducted, and Waiver of Inspection.
I leave you with one last section of the Inspection Form regarding repairs. NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Addendum Form 35 - Section 1D has a place for Buyer and Seller to agree upon how many days before closing the repairs will be completed with specific language. Sellers should expect that the Buyer will want a walk-through before closing and may even want their home inspector to re-inspect the repairs. Again, don’t forget that less than 5 days doesn’t include weekends and holidays.
NWMLS - WA Statewide Form - Inspection Addendum Form 35 - Section 1D
Contact me anytime for more information. As your Realtor, whether you are the Buyer or Seller, I work for you. I’m always here to help!
Thank you, Jennifer Suemnicht - Jen's Realty - RE/MAX Metro Realty, Inc.
www.JensRealty.com / 206-550-1676 / jen@jensrealty.com
Please note these form examples as as of 10/15/19. The forms are subject to change.
Also, when referring to deadlines, as stated in the “Computation of Time” paragraph in the Purchase & Sale Agreement, less than 5 days do not include weekends or holidays. Refer to that paragraph (and ask your Realtor) for specifics.
