Consumer advocates recommend having your new home inspected by a professional, independent inspector working on your behalf before closing.
Here in southwest Florida, few local new home builders have had effective quality control programs in place. New homes often have flaws that are not addressed by the municipal inspection process. Or, municipal inspectors can miss problems. They are often underpaid and overworked.
The home in this photograph went through the full municipal home inspection process, but this problem was visible from the road. What is the problem? The black neoprene flashing for the electrical mast is supposed to be integrated within the roof shingles. This flashing was never fully installed. It is leaking. Who wants to buy a new house with a roof leak?
All local professional home inspectors can attest to the fact that new homes frequently have significant deficiencies that you will want to have corrected before closing. This is particularly important in a sluggish real estate market like ours. Why? Many ‘new’ homes built on speculation have been finished and empty for over two years. These are particularly vulnerable to emergent problems.
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