What Do Home Inspectors Look For?

Many home purchase contracts feature an inspection contingency. This allows the potential homebuyer to get a home inspection to find any structural defects with the home before making a purchase. A home inspection contingency benefits the buyer, as the seller pays for the assessment and must remedy any issues found during the inspection within a set time. The deal will not go forward if your home doesn’t pass the inspection. Learn what home inspectors look for during an inspection and how you may benefit from a fast cash offer if you suspect your home will fail the inspection.

What Home Inspectors Look For

The different areas and systems of your home that inspectors look at include:

  • The basement
  • Your foundation
  • Your home’s structure
  • Walls, ceilings, doors, and floors
  • Windows and ventilation
  • Heating and cooling
  • Electrical and plumbing
  • Attic and insulation
  • Rain gutters and roof

Of these inspection points, inspectors pay close attention to the electric, foundation, roof, and HVAC systems.

Do you pass or fail a home inspection?

No one ever passes or fails a home inspection. The inspector will make a list of recommended upgrades or repairs that they feel the house needs. This information can be several pages long. Ultimately, the buyer will review the inspection and decide what they want to do. A home inspection will usually result in four different outcomes:

  • The buyer will ask the seller to make the repairs.
  • The buyer and seller will share the cost of repairs.
  • The buyer will make the repairs when they purchase the home.
  • The buyer will back out of the deal entirely.

How often do contracts fail because of the inspection?

The majority of the time, purchase contracts for homes are successful. Buyers and sellers can successfully negotiate how to remedy minor issues with a home. According to Trulia, 96% of purchase contracts go through. The remaining 4% often fall through because of a faulty home inspection.

What are the most frequent reasons a buyer backs out of a contract?

Now that you know what home inspectors look for, here is a list of reasons that your buyer could potentially back out after the home inspection:

  1. Faulty roofing.
  2. Plumbing problems.
  3. Foundation problems.
  4. Hidden mold.
  5. Failing HVAC systems.
  6. Bad wiring.
  7. Pest issues.
  8. Structural damage.
  9. The poor condition of the home.
  10. Issues with the property (such as no landscaping).

Note that some things, such as appliances, are negotiable. If a buyer wants new appliances, the buyer and seller usually come to a reasonable agreement.

What to do when your buyer balks after a home inspection

If a buyer walks away from a purchase contract, your home might not succeed in the traditional real estate market. Fortunately, avenues can help you sell your home quickly if you’d like. For example, Houston Capital Home Buyers is a company that makes fast cash offers on homes. As a result, you can quickly sell your house as-is, get a quote in as little as twenty-four hours, and sell your home in about one week.