Make Sure Your New Home Gets a Clean Bill of Health
 You’re sure you’ve found the ideal home. Fantastic landscaping…inviting entryway…spacious bedrooms…a kitchen you can’t wait to burn something in. But before you sign the papers and seal the deal, be sure your home looks as good below the surface as it does above.
This peace of mind comes from ordering an environmental report – essentially an inspection which outlines any environmental hazards that might be lurking in, below or around your soil. What you don’t see could present significant health risks to you and your family. That home that appears perfect may in fact be hiding the presence of dangerous amounts of lead, volatile organic compounds, radon or toxic industrial/agricultural byproducts below ground.
Fortunately, a new Arizona law helps homebuyers by removing some stress from the buying process by authorizing the use of environmental reports used by third-party inspectors. In essence, the law removes the liability for sellers and agents in cases where a report is incomplete or contains errors. It also requires third-party environmental inspection companies to have insurance to guard against such errors.
For homebuyers and Realtors, this law will lead to greater transparency in the home-buying process. Sellers can feel protected knowing they aren’t liable for errors or lapses in environmental reports, and thus should feel more at ease in getting such reports prepared. Homebuyers can breathe easier knowing their homes are healthy, and if something is later found that didn’t appear in the report, they won’t have to go down with the ship.
So how does one go about getting an environmental report on a prospective new home? First, ask your Realtor to request one from the seller. Like the traditional home inspection, environmental inspections should run somewhere between $100 to $150. Who pays for the report is typically negotiable between buyer and seller. A good Realtor should know a few reputable licensed third-party environmental inspectors and will set up the appointment.
Environmental worries set aside, you can relax and return to more enjoyable work, like picking out window treatments or dividing the closet space. These are the small details you can have fun with, knowing your home has received a clean bill of health.
*Copyright 2006 Sue Hamlett. All rights reserved. |
