In markets like Baton Rouge, Louisiana, buying a home can be stressful, but luckily buyers have more leeway than in other cities in the US. This is because the market in Baton Rouge is neutral, so buyers and sellers are equal, and buyers have more options for homes that they might be interested in.
Home inspectors in Louisiana are required by the state to be licensed inspectors, so when selecting an inspector, you can be sure that the inspector is licensed and qualified, but you should still make sure that their certifications are up-to-date.
Most Baton Rouge home inspectors follow a specific Standard of Practice set forth by associations like InterNACHI when inspecting homes, so you will know what they are required to inspect in the home.
Home inspections are always specific to the home, and therefore may include different inspection items. However there are specific elements that all homes have, and home inspectors have a checklist of these items that they will always be looking at.
During 2019, the Baton Rouge market was a neutral market, meaning that the number of homes for sale and the number of buyers looking for homes was relatively equal. This makes it easier for buyers, because they don’t have to act as quickly, and have more opportunities to be picky about the home and the things that they want in a new home.
Home values rose by just 0.5% throughout 2019, and are predicted to fall by 1.4% over 2020. This isn’t alarming though for home buyers, because this is a trend that is affecting the majority of markets across the nation - due to impacts on the economy from COVID-19. However, this does mean that buyers may be able to get better sale prices on homes in 2020 than they would’ve in 2019, making this year a good time to buy.
Since the market isn’t competitive in Baton Rouge, now is a great time to buy a home in Louisiana!
This also means that getting a home inspection isn’t something that you should question whether or not to do, because you have time to decide and the chances of another buyer scooping the home out from under you is relatively low.
