There are some expenses that you might be able to buy a home without paying for. Some people choose to do without a real estate lawyer to help them with all of the paperwork, for example. But, one expense that is always going to be worth the money that you spend is getting a home inspection done on a property that you're considering buying. This might even be essential if you're buying real estate with the help of a mortgage. Some lenders will not allow you to have a loan without the property going through this process.

There are lots of different home inspection companies out there that can provide you with the information that you will need to decide if this is the right property for you. You're likely going to want to get estimates from a few different inspectors before you decide which to hire to write your report. Just make sure that you understand what each inspection includes before you narrow down your list to just one. Some inspectors are going to do a simple four point inspection and look at things like the HVAC, water treatment equipment, roof, electrical and plumbing while others are able to go more into depth through the home and can point out if there is any sign of mould or water damage, for example. The older the home, the more likely you will want to get a more detailed report.

Once the home inspection is done, the inspector is going to provide you with a report of all of their findings, both good and bad. Go through the report and make sure you ask questions about anything in it that you don't fully understand. It is rare that there is going to be a property that is not brand new that has absolutely nothing wrong with it. What you really want to know is how much you're going to need to spend to get that real estate into working condition and how much you might choose to spend to get it to its peak. You also might want to ask questions about the possibility of making changes to the property and how easy or expensive that would be. These are all questions that your home inspector should have the answers to and you should not hesitate to ask.