Inspecting a Resale Condo Before Buying

Most home buyers are familiar with the concept of arranging for a home inspection before finalizing an Agreement to purchase a house.  However, many buyers of resale, residential condominiums overlook this step, perhaps thinking that such inspections are unnecessary or perhaps not applicable.  This is a mistake. When you compare a house to a condo unit, obviously there will be significant differences in overall character, size and maintenance obligations.  However, houses and condos also share many of the same basic features that form part of the list of items that a house inspector would review.  Examples include light and electrical fixtures, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, mechanical/HVAC systems, evidence of water damage, etc.  These types of issues can lead to concerns and problems that could prevent a potential condo buyer from signing off on a purchase Agreement or affect the purchase price, if known. Another form of inspection that is unique to condo’s is one that is often available through the condo property management company.  The goal of this type of inspection is to look for changes to the unit that should not have been made and which could become the new owner’s problem to rectify after closing.  An example would be changing carpet to hardwood flooring throughout the unit, if the condo rules prohibit this. Both types of condo inspections described above will result in costs to the buyer, but could potentially save that buyer time, money and aggravation later on.