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About 14% of new home buyers—or one in seven—forgo a home inspection, a survey finds from Clever Real Estate. Buyers are more likely to hire a home inspector when purchasing an existing home.
But new homes can turn up problems too.
For those who did do an inspection, 65% said they uncovered issues with their newly constructed home. The majority of those problems were minor and did not delay closing. However, about a quarter—24%—of new home buyers say their home did not pass the first inspection. Thirty-two percent said the inspector found minor issues. Thirty percent of buyers said their home passed the first inspection.
“With builders, subcontractors, and vendors operating at full capacity racing to meet deadlines, it shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that some details are missed during the home building process,” the study authors note.
Some of the most common items that pop up on a home inspection are big-ticket items and crucial home components, like the HVAC system. Another common issue that turns up is safety related, such as rickety banisters and loose wiring, the study finds.
Nearly nine in 10 newly built homes require premature maintenance measures, even though no one had lived in the house before, the study finds. Those premature repairs or maintenance issues are most likely to involve the following.