
Key insights
- An inspection can help homebuyers determine the potential defects present in the home they wish to purchase.
- To ensure you hire a thorough and neutral inspector, ask your REALTOR® for any recommendations and check references.
- A long inspection report doesn’t necessarily mean you should walk away from the sale. Together with your agent, you can determine the smartest next steps.
When buying a home, it’s smart to require a home inspection within your offer. This can help ensure that you enter into homeownership with a true understanding of the property’s condition and the future repairs it may require. Depending on the outcome of the inspection report, you may also be able to renegotiate the terms of your contract.
To ensure you understand the home's condition and potential issues, projects or repairs, follow these home inspection insights.
How to hire the right home inspector
When hiring a home inspector, make sure you find one who is reputable and experienced. Your REALTOR can recommend someone they trust, but it’s also smart to interview potential inspectors on your own.
Before hiring, be sure to ask specific questions about their work and ask for sample home inspection reports and past client references. Pay close attention to their expertise to ensure it matches the home in question. (An inspector who specializes in historic homes will not be the right fit if you’re looking at properties in a brand-new development.)
READ: 18 specific questions to ask a home inspector before hiring them.
What to expect and what to avoid during the inspection
A normal inspection typically lasts between two to three hours. During the inspection, it’s appropriate to be present and ask questions you may have about common maintenance, concerning appliances or other issues you’ve noticed. If you can’t be there for the entire inspection, return to the property as they’re wrapping up to get a high-level report of the initial findings.
The inspector will review a property's key exterior components, including the house's roof, garage and foundation. In doing so, they are looking for defects and failures — missing shingles or cracks in gutters could result in roof damage, while an unsettled or shifting foundation could mean an expensive structural repair is in your future.
Inside, the inspector will check important systems that could be costly to repair or replace. If your soon-to-be home has leaks or water pressure problems, the inspector will look deeper into the home’s plumbing. They will also look into wiring and electrical systems to ensure there aren’t fire safety issues, and test ventilation and appliances throughout the home.
READ: What to look for in a home inspection
Making sense of the inspection findings
After the inspection is complete, you’ll receive a detailed home inspection report. A typical report can span 20-50 pages.
A longer report doesn’t necessarily mean the house you’ve selected is a money pit; it could be an indication of a thorough inspector who has identified many smaller issues that can be used as leverage in your negotiation.
Review the report in full and tell your REALTOR about any concerns you have. They can recommend your next steps, which may include:
- Asking the seller to make repairs prior to closing.
- Asking the seller to escrow funds for repairs to be made after closing, particularly if those repairs can’t be done by closing (for example, replacing a septic system when the closing is in winter).
- Requesting a price reduction and doing the repairs yourself after closing.
- Walking away from the property if the identified problems are too extensive or if the seller is unwilling to drop their price or pay for repairs.
Remember, your inspector is a neutral partner
In addition to their inspection report, some inspectors may offer to share an estimated cost of necessary repairs. This can be helpful as you make your home purchase decision. After all, you’re likely not an expert on how much a few broken roof tiles will cost.
Keep in mind, however, that you want to avoid working with an inspector who offers to perform repairs or recommend contractors. Your inspector is an impartial mediator, so they should have no stake in your home purchase or the services that will be needed as a result of their work.
Need someone to help you every step of the way?
Edina Realty REALTORS are proven buyer advocates. Whether you’re ready to put in an offer and request an inspection or need help finding the right neighborhood for your family, we can help you keep moving forward.
Reach out today to get matched with a dedicated, insightful local specialist.