Pro tip: My realtor in Charlotte said to skip the inspection to make our offer stronger, but my dad said never buy a house without one

Last week, we found a perfect little ranch house listed at $285,000. Our realtor, who's been doing this for twenty years, told us waiving the inspection could really help us beat other offers in this market. She said it shows the seller we're serious and won't back out over small stuff. But my dad, who helped me fix up his own place, called me right away and said that's how you end up with a $20,000 plumbing surprise. He told me a story about a friend who bought a place three years ago and found mold everywhere after moving in. Now I'm stuck between trusting a pro's advice for getting the house and my family's warning about protecting myself. Has anyone else faced this choice and what did you pick?

3 comments

3 Comments

richard_anderson5d ago

Honestly your dad's story about mold is scary but that's a worst case scenario. Tbh a lot of houses, especially a ranch style, are pretty straightforward. Your realtor has a point that skipping the inspection can be the difference in getting an offer accepted right now. I know a few people who waived it and just budgeted for fixes later, and they were fine. It's a risk but maybe not as big as everyone makes it out to be.

cameronn623d ago

Didn't we just budget for repairs and still get burned?

kim.zara5d ago

Can you afford a surprise repair bill? Your dad is right because that inspection is your only safety net. Don't let the market pressure you into a bad choice.