What to Expect During an Inspection

After you sign a contract to buy or sell a home or commercial property the real estate will undergo what is called an inspection. In essence, an inspection is an examination of the home or property. They are performed by individuals who have the proper license and certifications required to inspect either residential or commercial properties. It’s typical that the buyer of the property will hire and pay for the inspection. In this blog, we’ll focus on what you can expect during a residential home inspection.

The home inspectors job is to assess the safety and function of the home and its major appliances. In other words, they are looking for things that might cause the home owner any safety concerns or issues as well as usability problems. The inspector will consider the following aspects in their inspection report: The full exterior, roof, structural elements, water, septic and well if applicable, as well as the full interior including: plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, in addition to the attic and/or crawl space, walls, and floors. Some inspectors may also do radon testing. (Click here to learn about testing for radon.)

Home inspections can take anywhere from one to two hours depending on the size of the property. In addition to examining the home you can expect that he or she will take pictures. These pictures are included in the report. As the buyer, you should plan on being present during the home inspection.

Once the inspection report is completed it will be sent to the buyer and the buyer’s agent/broker.  Any property defects will be noted in the report. Often times the defects are very minor, easy to fix home repairs that either the seller or the buyer can agree to fix. For the larger issues, the buyer may request the repairs be completed by a licensed professional in that field prior to closing or they may request a monetary credit upon closing.

If you’re selling your home, it can be effective to pay for a pre-inspection. Although the buyer will likely still perform their own inspection, providing a pre-inspection can attract more serious buyers. For other benefits of a pre-inspection click here. Please contact us if you have questions about the home buying or selling process or, about residential or commercial property inspections. Happy #househunting!