If you are like many other people who think that the inspection period is that time when a home inspector goes to the house to check and see if there are any defects that can’t be seen with the naked eye…then keep reading.

The inspection period or the due diligence period how it is also called in real estate, refers to the careful examination, investigation and research that might affect the purchase of the property with the goal of minimizing potential risks and making well-informed decisions based on accurate and complete information.

Thus, in Arizona, you have usually 10 days to inspect and find out if there is anything wrong that might prevent you from buying the home. I advise all the buyers to take this period very seriously, as this is one of the contingency  in the contract that should not be ignored. Do not waive it nor shorten it, as you might regret it later. Can you imagine discovering there are foundation problems as you get closer to the closing day or after you own the house? If you had known that ahead of time, you could have said “no” to the property without penalties. How about discovering that some neighbors are holding parties every weekend and they are so loud that it distract you from some important tasks you have to make? Or what about if there are farms in the area that you can smell some “scent” once in a while? Now what? By paying attention to what’s important to you and being educated by your trusted agent ( I hope your agent is well - educated, too 😆 ), you can prevent regrets later or even losing money.

I don’t want to make this post too long, and that is why I recommend to any buyers to study the Buyer Advisory before even signing it. Your real estate agent should provide you with this document and explain it to you so you know what it’s about. However, your obligation is to read it and make sure you understand it. I like to provide it to my clients ahead of time, this way they know from the beginning what to consider or exclude in their search. It will save you some time, trust me. For example, is the noise level an important factor to you? Than you want to be clear from the beginning that you would like to avoid living in the proximity of an airport, by railway tracks or by the main road.

The buyer advisory is a great guide which provides you with clickable links on different investigations that you would like to make. You can check schools in the area, environmental concerns, electromagnetic fields, crime statistics etc. It is advisable to drive the neighborhood, talk with the neighbors or check the area both during the day and at night. And before I end this article, I would also like to accentuate the importance of having a home inspection done right after your offer is accepted. This would give you more time to look for additional evaluation that the general inspector might point out to, but also if you’d like to do a more in depth examination of the house (roof, HVAC, plumbing, pest problems, pool, mold etc.) you could do so by hiring a specialist.

Do you feel overwhelmed already? I hope I did not create confusion, feel free to leave any comments and if you need a professional who can guide you and educate you along the way, I’d love to be your go to agent.Top of Form