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Do I Need a Home Inspection?



The home buying process can be long and tedious. There are a lot of terms used, lots of paperwork, information galore, and when you finally find the right property and your Realtor says now let's schedule the home inspection. Often buyers are not aware of what all a home inspection entails and often confuses a home inspection with a home appraisal. These terms are very different but are equally important.


When you sign the agreement to purchase a property or the contract to purchase, your real estate agent will likely discuss the importance of a home inspection. Home inspections have both positives and negatives, but the positives outweigh the negatives ten-fold. First, if you request a home inspection this is a means of helping you get out of buying a house that may need a lot more work than is seen by the naked eye. The home inspector will inspect the property from top to bottom, electrical, plumbing, appliances, etc. nothing goes unnoticed. Although the home inspection report may be intimidating, it gives the buyer peace of mind. It allows the buyer to know what issues the home has and then the agent can negotiate repairs with the seller's agent on your behalf.

There are a few negatives that can occur with home inspections. You may be surprised that the average home inspection cost is between $300-500, depending on where you are purchasing. This may be an expense that you were not prepared for and that is why as a Realtor I always bring up the costs of home inspections when I meet new clients. I want my client to be prepared for additional costs and I like to educate them on each step of the process of home buying. Another negative is the stress that can come with seeing potential repairs that are needed in the home. For instance, I recently had a client where there was a leak in the roof. This was stressful for her; however, the roof was covered by the HOA and a repair request was submitted. Sometimes the resolution for the problem is a lot less than one initially thought. In addition, I have seen electrical issues become a problem and when getting quotes for repairs, it was a lot less expensive than the client thought.


If you need assistance in finding the right inspector to hire, your real estate agent can give you a list of individuals that you can reach out to in order to obtain quotes. Your agent can also request quotes and let you decide whom you'd like to hire. After all, it is your report and you should find the right person that fits your budget. You also do not have to share the report with the seller of the home. You purchased it and it is your information; however, sometimes the seller will request to see any parts of the report that you are requesting repairs so they can understand exactly what is needed in the repair.


I always recommend a home inspection. I think they are a useful tool and give you the peace of mind that you are not purchasing a property that has problems that are not seen by the naked eye. Reach out to me if you have any questions on home inspections.




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