Home Inspection Services

Adding Value for Real Estate Agents

For real estate agents there's a lot of value in consistency. Knowing a thorough, well-regarded home inspector means a pain free referral to call upon each home as a seller's agent. And equally, as a buyer's agent, knowing you can count on the inspector to provide all the information for clients is a big peace of mind.

Some Realtors like having a go-to resource for preliminary inspections as well so their clients have a good starting batch of info from the showing. This helps them make decisions and narrow down their top 3 properties during their tours, and makes the whole process smoother.

Home Inspection FAQ

Why do I need a home inspection?

Home inspections allow for confident buying when you're shopping for a new home. If there are any issues or warning signs to be aware of, the home inspection is where those will surface. This is also why banks require a home inspection be completed before issuing a mortgage, since they want to make sure the home is worth the asking price.

Does the homeowner need to be there for an inspection?

Generally, no. Many times a home inspection gets scheduled for when people are working or have other things going on. As long as the home inspector can get inside the home with permission, the assessment can be completed without supervision. However, some homeowners prefer to be there to be aware of anything the inspector notices that could be cause for concern.

Can A House Fail A Home Inspection?

A home inspection isn't really about pass or fail. There is a checklist of things the inspector will examine carefully, but the inspection is more about confirming whether important systems are in proper working order. If some of them are not, it's the home inspector's job to make buyers and sellers aware of them.

The home inspection itself does not determine the home's valuation, although buyers can potentially use the findings to negotiate the purchase price if repairs need to be made. (Or negotiate that those repairs must be made before closing.)

Who pays for the home inspection?

Often the potential buyer pays for the home inspection. Sometimes a preliminary home inspection will be a complementary feature a buyer's agent provides, and other times the seller will elect to invest in a professional home inspection as they put the home up for sale.

What happens if there are problems discovered during the home inspection?

The seller is not automatically required to make repairs in the event that a home inspection reveals the need for them. Generally any needed repairs become part of the negotiation. The buyer can ask for the selling price to be adjusted in consideration of making the repairs, or ask that the repairs be completed prior to the sale.

Or, if the buyer is not immediately concerned with the findings, such as knowing the hot water heater is old but still currently working properly, the buyer may elect to move forward with the sale regardless.

At the end of the day, the home inspection is mostly about knowing all the facts and having all the cards out on the table.