Table of Content
It is for information purposes only, and any links provided are for the user's convenience. Please seek the services of a legal, accounting or real estate professional prior to any real estate transaction. It is not Zillow's intention to solicit or interfere with any established agency relationship you may have with a real estate professional.

While the seller may not make any of the changes from your inspection report, you'll be aware of what needs to be fixed once you move in. Many major system components are installed in attics and garages these days, and are often surrounded by personal storage items. For example, home inspectors need about three feet of space in front of a breaker box to properly inspect it.
The two major parties’ first home buyer policies explained
If they are not, that could be your first sign of a real potential issue in terms of quality and content of the inspection and the home inspection report. A good home inspection report is extensive, containing checklists, summaries, photographs and notes. It may estimate the remaining useful life of major systems and equipment, as well as that of the roof, structure, paint and finishes. The inspection objection is a document that your agent will send to the listing agent before the pre-determined deadline.
If so, you could be on the hook for bringing the house up to code should you ever remodel. Even if that’s not even remotely on your radar, unpermitted work needs to be carefully inspected, particularly electrical and plumbing work. Home inspections can be reassuring, fun and exhausting all at the same time. The home inspection is one of the most stressful parts of a home sale, mostly because you don’t know how it’ll turn out. “ would either walk away or renegotiate the contract, i.e., they would either ask for repairs to be done or get a repair credit. There will definitely be back and forth in that situation,” says Day.
What to Expect from the Home Inspection Report
The inspection process, remote or in-person, usually takes 30 to 40 minutes. If you were able to take photos or video of interior or exterior damage to the home, show them to the inspector. FEMA home inspections help determine whether a home is safe, sanitary and livable. Mortgage lenders will need a home appraisal to assess the value of the home you’re buying.

Recommendations may be for specific actions to be taken, or for further evaluation, but they should address problems in such a way that the reader of the report will understand how to proceed. Standard disclaimers and other information can be pre-checked to automatically appear in each report. Home inspections are not technically exhaustive, so the inspector will not disassemble a furnace to examine the heat exchanger closely, for example. Reports should also disclaim portions of the home not inspected.
Checking if the site connection is secure
If you like doing your own research from scratch, you can find inspectors with a google search for "home inspector ". Check for licenses & certifications - Each state has different standards, but most inspectors will be a part of NACHI or ASHI. Look at a sample report - Most inspectors link to this on their site. The report should be visual, easy to understand, easy to navigate, and give you next steps on costs and who to contact. The inspection may reveal red flags you didn't see during the initial showing. It can potentially save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs from the seller.

It can also be a great opportunity to learn the inner workings of the place you will call home. The first step for a home inspection starts with a phone call, text message or email from a FEMA inspector to the applicant to schedule an appointment for an inspection. More than likely, the phone call to schedule an inspection will be from out of state. An inspector will attempt to make contact with the survivor up to three times over three different days. If inspectors cannot reach the applicant after the three attempts, their case will be closed until the applicant contacts FEMA again.
Talk to your home inspector and real estate agent about the best path forward if you discover these types of issues. If the home inspection report showed only minor and expected problems, the home buying process should continue as planned. However, cherry-picking small problems that are quick, easy, and inexpensive to fix can drastically shorten the list of defects a report turns up.
Do you have to hire a professional or can you DIY the repairs? It depends on what your buyer requests, the type of repair, and your own skill level. If you’ll be taking care of the repairs, you’ll want to get at least three quotes from reputable contractors.
For example, in 2002, an investor bought a 14-unit hotel in California. The six-page narrative report mentioned that flashing where the second-story concrete walkway met the building was improperly installed, and the condition could result in wood decay. Four years later, the investor paid out almost $100,000 to demolish and replace the entire upper walkway. In some places, it was possible to push a pencil through support beams. If they see something that looks like a safety concern, they are going to write it in the report. It’s up to you to hire a professional to confirm the extent of the issue.

The inspector will walk you through the house and show you areas that need to be looked at. At this point, you'll be able to talk to your real-estate agent about the concerns you need to address with the seller. The client who wants the report pays for the inspection, whether it is the buyer, seller, investor or homeowner. Anyone who wants to see your report should have to get your permission first. Home inspections focus on safety, improper installations, leaks, water and moisture damage, deterioration and wood-destroying organisms, as well as system components not functioning like they should.
This may influence which products we review and write about , but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. In between your inspector documenting what he/she finds, ask about what's normal for the area and how your home compares.

For example, if the report noted the HVAC system was 15 years old and used an inefficient blower, you’ll know to start planning ahead for replacing the system in the next few years. You’ll have a chance to explore your new home further and ask your inspector questions as you go. As with most things in life, the cheapest inspector isn’t always the best — especially if your state doesn’t license home inspectors. Make sure yours is sufficiently qualified and experienced to do a good job. Clearly, the inspector isn’t going to tear your home apart to inspect piping and wiring. But the more exterior and interior parts of the home an inspector can access, the more complete the final report will be.
A home inspector should take several hours to complete a detailed walk-through of the home you’re looking to buy. During that time, the inspector will take notes and pictures and, if you’re tagging along, comment on what they see. Most importantly, the inspector will provide an objective opinion on the home’s condition, detached from the emotional rollercoaster you’ve been on during the home buying process. To provide enough time for additional inspections or for negotiations with the seller, you'll want to schedule a home inspection as soon as possible once you're under contract. The goal of a home inspection is to uncover issues with the home itself. Inspectors won’t tell you if you’re getting a good deal on the home or offer an opinion on the sale price.

You’ll want to prioritize repairs that are a safety concern or legal issue. Occasionally , buyers may waive their right to an inspection in order to make their deal more appealing to the seller. In addition to a home inspection, as a homeowner, it might be a smart move to have a home-repair plan from HomeServe. When you're prepared with a plan and a breakdown occurs, HomeServe sends a local, licensed expert technician to your home to fix the problem.