There’s nothing quite like springtime in Chicago. The air is crisp and warm, the sun is shining, and the city comes to life after hunkering down for the long, dark winter.
And as our area transitions from winter to spring, the real estate market typically heats up right alongside it — with buyers entering the market, and sellers getting ready to put their homes up for sale.
Whether your real estate goals are to buy a new property, sell your current property, or just make sure that your current home is safe and structurally sound, a home inspection will be an important part of your spring to-do list!
Why Spring Home Inspections Are Important
Sandwiched between the frosty winter and the hot, humid summer, the spring season is a great time to check up on your home — whether you’re buying, selling, or looking to make the most of your investment. A professional home inspection is one of the best ways to understand a home’s condition, habitability, and safety.
In a typical home inspection, an experienced and knowledgeable professional inspector will examine hundreds of elements around the property, looking for structural and mechanical concerns and potential safety hazards. Your inspector will also try to determine the age of major systems around the property, including its roof, heating and air conditioning systems, and water heaters.
This visual evaluation helps provide you with a solid basis of knowledge about a home, as well as its most important components and systems. In addition to reporting on any deficiencies or potential failures, your home inspectors will also include maintenance tips and other resources that can help you protect this important investment in the months and years to come.
While there’s never a bad time for a home inspection, scheduling this important evaluation during the spring can offer some unique benefits. Here are three big reasons a spring home inspection is so valuable here in Chicagoland:
Real Estate Activity Speeds Up In Spring
Here in the Chicago area the real estate market is typically quite cyclical, and activity traditionally tends to ramp up in spring — with more buyers getting ready to make their move, and more sellers putting their properties on the market. In fact, experts believe that this robust spring market activity begins as early as Super Bowl Sunday.
Don’t get left in the cold! The spring months are a busy time for a lot of reasons. It’s important to act while you can. If you’re looking to buy a home in the spring, take time now to learn what goes into a home inspection and why this process is so important, and talk with your real estate professional about what to expect.
Getting ready to sell? A pre-listing inspection can make an enormous difference. By addressing deficiencies before you put your home on the market, you showcase that you’re a serious seller, and may even help streamline and speed up your sale. This is particularly important in spring, when buyers get more choice due to increased inventory.
Springing Back After a Rough Winter
Extreme weather can take a toll on your property. Even in regular winters, heavy snow and ice can lead to roof damage, foundation issues, and drainage problems. During the winter months, most of us also tend to push our plumbing and HVAC systems to their limits, which can take a toll on their integrity and longevity.
After a harsh winter, your home inspector can help accurately examine the resiliency and integrity of the property’s systems, and give you some reassurance that the property will be safe and habitable in the short-term and the long.
If your inspector finds issues that need further review or remediation, they can also refer a qualified and knowledgeable expert who can help provide the specialized service you need.
Just as importantly, your home inspector can educate you about the care and maintenance of your home’s major systems, so you know how to respond in case of an emergency.
Access to Key Components and Systems
Keep in mind that a standard home inspection is limited to what can be visually observed at the time of the inspection. When problems are found, the inspector will either offer recommendations of how to make repairs. or recommend you get further evaluation by someone who specializes in that field.
Spring is a convenient time for home inspections because the weather is typically more favorable. In contrast, winter weather can make conducting a thorough home inspection much more difficult. Piles of snow can make it harder to assess certain areas, such as the roof. Your home inspector may also not be able to properly run an air conditioner in cold weather, or thoroughly check a home’s drainage.
When your inspection takes place in the spring, your inspector will be more easily able to access and inspect all of the important areas in your home, including elements that can be trickier during the winter such as the roof, the crawlspaces and attic, the indoor and outdoor HVAC systems, and all of the home’s windows and doors.
Get Help From the Chicago Area’s Home Inspection Experts
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, you can rest easy knowing that Windy City Home Inspection, Inc. will always be here for you. With Windy City Home Inspection, you can expect a competent, thorough inspection covering all the bases and never cutting corners.
Whether you’re buying a property, selling a property, or just want to know how to maintain your property, Windy City Home Inspection has an inspection for you.
When searching for the right home inspector, it’s important to find someone you can trust. The inspectors at Windy City Home Inspection, Inc. are licensed by the State of Illinois, certified, and insured. Each home inspection is backed by our Warranty and Protection Plan. Furthermore, we pride ourselves on our superior customer service. If you ever have questions, even years after your home inspection, we will be here to answer them — even if it means returning to your home.
At Windy City Home Inspection, Inc., we perform inspections to the highest standards – yours. Backed by a consulting team with more than 60 years of experience, Windy City Home Inspection is committed to excellence. Have a question? Let us help.
