WHEN buying a house be alert, avoid any risks and beware of hidden defects.
Zama Nkosi was impressed when she viewed the home she wanted to buy.
It was freshly painted and had a well-manicured garden and weedless paving.
The property would be the biggest purchase, Nkosi, 37, of Spruitview, in the East Rand, had ever made.
But though the structure seemed perfect she felt she needed a second opinion from a reputable and accredited house inspector before signing a contract.
Inspect-A-Home's Eric Bell says it's important to have your property professionally inspected before signing an offer to purchase and a disclosure document.
As a buyer you might not know that a fresh coat of paint and some new potplants could be hiding serious structural problems that will turn your dream home into a house of horrors, he says.
According to Bell buyers should not feel under pressure to hastily sign the disclosure document as this is not required by the law.
By signing the disclosure document you are accepting that the house is structurally prefect, he says.
This means that if you end up with a house that unexpectedly needs repair work, you will have no recourse with the seller or estate agent.
"Unless you are a structural engineer or qualified building inspector, - it is highly unlikely that you will be able to identify latent property defects," he says.
Bell says surface impressions might mask underlying problems that only arise months after a purchase has been made.
Last month he inspected a home in Westville, Durban for newlywedded .
They had noticed a damp patch on the ceiling and some wet flooring in their newly purchased home.
Bell says his inspectors discovered that the slate roof was leaking badly as the malthoid underlay was completely rotten.
"This wasn't disclosed to the new buyers and malthoid is a very expensive item to replace," he says.
These buyers were lucky because they had inspected the house and had a professional inspection report, compelling the seller to rectify the defect.
The Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) emphasises the importance of having a house inspected by accredited professionals.
According to EAAB, buyers are becoming increasingly frustrated with estate agents who push property deals through without complete disclosure.
The EAAB says unless the property has been inspected by accredited professionals, there is no guarantee that latent defects will be discovered and that unexpected costs won't arise.
The board says professional home inspection will ensure a true reflection of the condition and cost of the property and peace of mind."
Inspect before you jump in
WHEN buying a house be alert, avoid any risks and beware of hidden defects.
Zama Nkosi was impressed when she viewed the home she wanted to buy.
It was freshly painted and had a well-manicured garden and weedless paving.
The property would be the biggest purchase, Nkosi, 37, of Spruitview, in the East Rand, had ever made.
But though the structure seemed perfect she felt she needed a second opinion from a reputable and accredited house inspector before signing a contract.
Inspect-A-Home's Eric Bell says it's important to have your property professionally inspected before signing an offer to purchase and a disclosure document.
As a buyer you might not know that a fresh coat of paint and some new potplants could be hiding serious structural problems that will turn your dream home into a house of horrors, he says.
According to Bell buyers should not feel under pressure to hastily sign the disclosure document as this is not required by the law.
By signing the disclosure document you are accepting that the house is structurally prefect, he says.
This means that if you end up with a house that unexpectedly needs repair work, you will have no recourse with the seller or estate agent.
"Unless you are a structural engineer or qualified building inspector, - it is highly unlikely that you will be able to identify latent property defects," he says.
Bell says surface impressions might mask underlying problems that only arise months after a purchase has been made.
Last month he inspected a home in Westville, Durban for newlywedded .
They had noticed a damp patch on the ceiling and some wet flooring in their newly purchased home.
Bell says his inspectors discovered that the slate roof was leaking badly as the malthoid underlay was completely rotten.
"This wasn't disclosed to the new buyers and malthoid is a very expensive item to replace," he says.
These buyers were lucky because they had inspected the house and had a professional inspection report, compelling the seller to rectify the defect.
The Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) emphasises the importance of having a house inspected by accredited professionals.
According to EAAB, buyers are becoming increasingly frustrated with estate agents who push property deals through without complete disclosure.
The EAAB says unless the property has been inspected by accredited professionals, there is no guarantee that latent defects will be discovered and that unexpected costs won't arise.
The board says professional home inspection will ensure a true reflection of the condition and cost of the property and peace of mind."
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