You want to have your home inspected so that you know what may or may not need to be fixed immediately after you buy it. You want to know if you are going to need to install new plumbing, new wiring or new appliances. You want to know if the chimney is swaying precariously or if that's simply your over active imagination. You want to have an inspection because you want to know what's wrong, but that's not the only reason.

A home inspection will tell you if you are paying too much for the house or just enough. If the inspector walks through and finds a hundred little things wrong, you will know that you need to ask for a lower asking price. You don't need to pay an exorbitant amount of money upfront and then more after you've signed the papers. On the other hand, if he finds few problems, you will be assured that you've gotten a solid deal and do not have to worry about being ripped off by the sellers. You are paying what you should for what you are receiving.

After the purchase, it's also beneficial to have the inspection in that it will enable you to make those follow up repairs the inspector noted. By referring to the form he gave you, you'll be able to create a house that is ready for your family, safe and welcoming. You won't have to wonder if you hit everything on the list, because you'll have checked it off as you went through one by one until nothing remained. You'll know that the house is in tip-top condition, ready when you are.

And of course, a post-inspection once you have made all of the necessary changes will assure that you are not increasing the value of the house without documentation. It will show that you took the steps to increase the property's worth and should you sell it in the future, the asking price will be justifiably higher than what was asked of you, as the new owners will not have to go through the same process you did, replacing what was broken and securing what was loose.

Getting a home inspection, both before and after purchase, is a wise decision. It is how you protect yourself - not only from the woes of hidden blunders, but from paying too much or asking too little when the house is on the market. It is how you ensure that the value you see in the property is true, and it is how you make that fact clear to the general public. Anytime you can have a professional document the ups and downs of your house, you are taking a step in the right direction. You are protecting yourself and thus your investment.

Be sure to keep all of the documents you receive after your inspections in a safe place, for future reference. You do not want to find that you need them only to learn that you have no idea where they are. An inspection is only worthwhile if you can prove it occurred - and that can only happen with the right papers, the right check marks and the right diligence.