Home Inspection #2 Completed - Let the Negotiations Continue

Carrie and I are back from home inspection #2. We had the same wise-cracking home inspector as before. He did a bang up job on the first house, so it was nice having someone competent that we could trust.

The house was in better shape than the last one, but there were still little issues here and there. Honestly, it's to be expected. From the sales records online, the house was sold under durress (short sale, foreclosure, or something) and picked up by a company that specializes in fixing-up and resaling houses. From the looks of it, they did a good job, but it's an inspector's job to find anything he can. Carrie loves the house. I like it too, but there was an odd symetery and feel to it. I think part of it was from the house being vacant and I know part of it was from a couple of design choices that I'd never seen before. I'm cautious by nature when dealing with big numbers (aka mortgages). I do think it's a house that could easily grow on me (just like the townhouse did!). The yard has a ton of potential, too.

There were a couple of funny moments during the inspection. At one point, our agent and inspector were out in the garage with us. The inspector was checking out the garage door, and Carrie and I decided to go back inside (yay, A/C). We sit down on the stairwell, and I start looking at comps from around the neighborhood. A shriek rings out! A moment later, the inspector comes inside laughing with our agent in tow.

"What happened?" my wife asks.

Our agent replies, "You could hear that?"

"Barbara," the inspector said, "I think the neighborhood heard you!"

Our agent turns and accuses the inspector. "He TICKLED me!"

"Yeah, well you weren't answering my question."

This happened on and off throughout the inspection. Barbara would comment that the house felt cold, and ask what the thermostat was set to. The inspector would reply "42." Our agent would then say something back, and the entertainment began. Apparently, they've worked off and on together for years. I enjoyed the banter.

At the first home inspection, I yelled out an "I love you" to my wife when I was leaving to pick up Shane. She was in the kitchen. Of course, the inspector was checking out the front door as I passed by and he said, "I love you, too! Oh, was that awkward?"