Home Inspections in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach

Know What You’re Getting With A Home Inspection

A home inspection tells you the real physical condition of a house before you’re locked into the deal. In Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach, that matters more than in most places. Much of the housing stock dates to the 1950s through 1970s, sits close to salt air and marine layer moisture, and in some pockets includes hillside or bluff lots with their own soil and drainage considerations. A generic inspection checklist misses a lot of what actually shows up in a South Bay report.

What Do Home Inspections Cover?

Most lenders require an inspection before funding a home loan. A licensed inspector should always be used to give you a solid, concrete read on the shape of a home, and since closing costs are negotiable, some lenders will lower fees when the inspection turns up no problems.

A home inspector will look closely at the following systems, and all should be included on your home inspection checklist before buying a home:

• Plumbing

• Electrical

• Roof

• HVAC

• Paint

• Floor surfaces

• Doors

• Windows

• Foundation

Inspectors will also check for dry rot, pest activity, and drainage or grading issues around the lot. In older Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach homes, that often means close attention to plumbing and electrical systems nearing the end of their service life and roofs that have taken decades of coastal wind and salt exposure. On Palos Verdes and hillside South Bay lots, drainage and slope stability deserve extra scrutiny given the area’s history of ground movement.

The inspection is scheduled by the buyer once the property is under contract, and it’s typically the buyer’s responsibility to arrange it. Where Levine Homes Real Estate & Construction differs from a typical brokerage is that Mike Levine reviews inspection reports as a licensed general contractor (CSLB) as well as a broker. When a report flags a roof, foundation, or electrical issue, we can usually tell you on the spot whether it’s a minor fix, a negotiating point, or a real reason to walk away.

Once the inspection has come in with no major problems or concerns regarding the home or the property, the buyer is free to move ahead with the purchase of the home.

Talk to Levine Homes Real Estate & Construction About Your Inspection

If you’re buying in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, or the Palos Verdes Peninsula, we’ll walk you through the inspection process and help you understand exactly what the report means for your purchase. Call us at 310-796-9088.