In the current real estate market the term “As-Is” is becoming a common issue most Ventura County home buyers might encounter in a real estate transaction.  The status “As-Is” is usually offered on homes that are for sale by banks/REO, investors, or sometimes even a standard home seller.

So what does “As-Is” really mean:

A property sold “As-Is” simply means that the seller of the property will not provide the home buyers any disclosures, warranties, or repairs on that particular property.

In a case where the home is sold by the bank/REO or an investor the only repairs they would perform are those mandated by the state of California and local government such as: water heater bracing and working smoke detectors.  It is hard for sellers such as banks or investors to disclose anything about a property in which they have never lived.  Most Ventura County home buyers have come to terms with the non-disclosure standards, but it is the no repair clause that has many Ventura County home buyers worried.

Nevertheless, Ventura County home buyers need to know that the “As-Is” status on a property does not take away their right to perform a thorough home inspection.

In the California Residential Purchase Agreement the home buyer is encouraged to perform their own inspection of the property they plan to purchase.  The home buyer’s inspection and their request for repairs are submitted to the home seller for consideration.  The home seller may or may not agree to execute any or all of items in the home buyer’s request.  In some cases the home seller might credit the home buyer at the end of escrow for the cost of one, some, or all the repairs.

In an “As-Is” home sale condition the home buyer can perform their home inspection, submit their findings to the home seller, but the home seller will not perform any repairs or present the home buyer with credit for the repairs.

Hence the importance of finding a reliable home inspector to warn you of any structural or material problems with the Ventura County home you are planning to purchase.

In most cases, your Realtor can provide you with contact information of some trustworthy home inspectors in Ventura County.  The final decision is yours to choose which home inspector should perform your home inspection.

If you need any help with buying or selling a home in Ventura County please don’t hesitate to contact me, Mana Tulberg: (805) 443-8898.