Listen to WHAM HOME REPAIR CLINIC - WHAM1180 AM RADIO, ROCHESTER, N.Y..  Sunday, June 9th 10:00 am Jim Salmon will have Henrey Jetty, President of the NYS Association of home inspectors & Larry Fontana, a local colleague and home inspector, on the show to discuss a bill that's working it's way through the New York State Legislature system. This is a bill to "allow" homebuyers to have a home inspection when purchasing a house within ten days of signing off on a new home, regardless of the conditions of the sale. The market has not been helping homebuyers.

Below is an article explaining the benefits of the new law and the link to read the text of the bill.

NEW YORK BILL COULD CHANGE THE GAME FOR HOMEBUYERS SEEKING HOME INSPECTIONS.

BY DANIEL FINKELSTEIN

Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — A bill currently before a New York State Assembly committee seeks to change conditions for prospective homebuyers.

It's common nowadays for buyers to waive a home inspection, as doing so can give you a competitive edge. But some local experts say for the biggest investment in your life, it's not worth the risk.

Rahul Mirani is just getting back into the housing market. He hasn't put up any offers yet, but when he does, he'll get an inspection.

"I would sleep peacefully if I had an inspector come and check things out," said Mirani. "I think it gives the buyer that much more protection, because it’s the biggest purchase you will make in your life. Having that or knowing that there is a provision rescinded based on what you find or what has been found that wasn’t properly disclosed, either intentionally or unintentionally, gives me a lot more peace of mind."

Assembly Bill A8889 could impact buyers like Mirani. Currently before a committee in the Assembly, the bill seeks to mandate that prospective buyers are afforded the opportunity to inspect homes before closing.

Buyers would also be able to withdraw offers if the cost of repairs exceeds a pre-determined amount.

Home inspector Larry Fontana said the bill could help the industry, but more importantly, the clients.

"They waive the home inspection and something happens," explained Fontana. "Or they get the post inspection, and there are items wrong, or defects that would’ve gotten caught during a home inspection."

Many buyers choose to waive inspections to make their offers more attractive.   

Realtor Kevin Herrick says the practice has become more common in today's competitive market.

"The concerning part about the bill is that you want to play a level playing field," said Herrick. "The problem with this market right now is with such low inventory, it presents itself as a benefit to the cash buyer and the people that are coming in with 3- to 5-percent down payment are kind of getting left 'out in the cold.' What I worry about with the bill is it that it's going to affect them even more, putting the burden more so on the middle class. Compounded with inflation and interest rates, it's just kind of going to create an unfair playing ground once again."

Herrick and Fontana both recommend inspections to avoid expensive repairs.

"Heaven forbid you have to spend $2,500 because the water heater went right?" said Fontana. "It’s no different than buying a used car. You take it to a mechanic, and they'll give it the OK, or not. You make your decision depending on the expert. The big things are going to be structural; the roof, the foundation... There are a lot of things that could happen because of small things. I try to bring those to the buyer's attention like grating and downspout extensions. Something as simple as that can cause major foundational or structural issues."