Once a Pending Contract for the property has been established, the home buyer will find a home inspector, either from their own research, Find a Certified Inspector,(https://inspectorseek.com/) or a list provided by their real estate agent. This window, usually 3-5 days, is the time frame in which the buyer will initiate the home inspection process.

Home inspections are an objective, professional, third-party assessment of specific aspects of a house performed by a licensed Professional Inspector. These inspections give the prospective buyer a good idea of the condition of the property they have entered in during the Pending Contract phase as well the potential costs for repairing items indicated as deficient. Professional Inspectors have honed their skills to understand the signs, symptoms, and conditions of a real estate property often missed by the average home buyer. Without these professional inspections, a prospective buyer could walk into a new home full of potential money pitfalls.

In addition to the risks of not getting a home inspection performed above, the benefits include making informed decisions in the home buying process as well as potential bargaining topics. These inspections evaluate the operating condition of the many systems which comprise property. Understanding these objectively identified conditions aids in the home buying experience from buying the home to future operations and maintenance of the property.

There are many types of inspections performed. The caveat to home inspections is who wants the inspection and when. For instance, a seller may want to understand the current condition of his/her property prior to selling. In this case, a pre-listing inspection or standard inspection would be warranted. A Move-In inspection occurs after an accepted offer for a house has been made. A pre-drywall inspection occurs during construction of the house and prior to sheetrock being installed. 11th Month Warranty inspections occur prior to the Builder’s Warranty expiring and ensure time to repair warrantied items.

The home inspector abides by the Standards of Practice (SOP), either TREC (https://www.trec.texas.gov/online-sops), InterNachi,(https://www.nachi.org/sop.htm) or some other professional associations’ SOP. The home inspector will inspect the many systems of a home from the foundation to the many structures including the attic and crawl spaces to plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and appliances. Some inspectors may have ancillary items (add-ons); these ancillary items include: sprinkler systems, swimming pools, wood destroying organisms, sewer, septic, infrared, wells, and many more items.

The SOP’s, TREC (https://www.trec.texas.gov/online-sops)and InterNachi,(https://www.nachi.org/sop.htm) generally cover all items an inspector will cover but limitations often exist in the form of concealment and or inaccessible. For instance, personal belongings that prevent access to a water heater closet would be inaccessible. A water meter turned off or a circuit breaker disconnected would result in portions of the SOP being departed from due to liabilities and uncertainties. Lastly, some appliances are considered not built-in or installed and therefore would not be covered. These are countertop appliances such as microwave, air fryers, mixers, and blenders.

The inspection itself usually takes between 2-4 hours depending on the size and age of the property. The finalized report is typically completed within 1-2 days of the completion of the inspection itself. Most inspectors can have a completed inspection report sent the evening of the inspection date.

The completed inspection report is for you to do with as you please. This inspection report is the condition of this home at a moment in time and helps to plan and prepare for future occupancy of the home. Many clients use this report in further discussions/ negotiations with the seller.

A standard home inspection in the greater central Texas area ranges from $300-$700 depending on the size and age of the home as well as any ancillary items added-on.

During a home inspection, the home inspector will set up a time where s/he can get in and concentrate on the many systems comprising a home for evaluation. This includes inspecting the home in its intended and operational state from the top of the roof, to inside the attic, and below the structure should crawlspaces or basements exist. The home inspector will communicate with the buyer and buyer’s agent on a timeframe when to arrive so observations and communications can be performed.