Home inspections for buyers

Step 1: Line up the inspector early

Contingency periods move fast. Research inspectors while you are still house hunting so you can book the day your offer is accepted. See how to choose a home inspector for questions to ask.

Step 2: Read the disclosures first

In California the seller provides the Transfer Disclosure Statement, a Natural Hazard Disclosure report and, often, the Seller Property Questionnaire. Read them before the inspection and send the inspector anything that worries you: past leaks, additions, repairs or permits.

Step 3: Be there

Inspectors expect buyers to attend. You will learn where the shutoffs are, how old the major systems are, and which findings the inspector considers serious. If you can’t stay for the whole visit, come for the last hour, when the inspector usually walks you through the main points.

Bring:

• A list of questions from the disclosures.
• A tape measure for furniture.
• Your phone for photos of serial plates and shutoff locations.

Step 4: Read the report in the right order

1. Summary or major items. These are the findings the inspector thinks matter most.
2. Safety items. Electrical, gas, fire separation, smoke and CO alarms, railings and pool barriers.
3. “Further evaluation” items. These are the inspector telling you a specialist should look.
4. Maintenance items. Normal upkeep you will handle as the owner.

Step 5: Call in the specialists

The home inspector is a generalist. Within the same contingency window you may need:

• A licensed roofer for an aging or leaking roof.
• An electrician for panel or wiring concerns.
• A plumber and a sewer camera inspection.
• An HVAC contractor for old or suspect equipment.
• A structural engineer for cracks or movement.
• A termite inspection from a licensed pest control operator.

Step 6: Decide and negotiate

You can ask the seller to make repairs, give a credit, lower the price, or do nothing and proceed. Requests tied to safety, specialist estimates and items that affect financing carry the most weight. See negotiating repairs.

Step 7: Final walkthrough

A few days before closing, check that agreed repairs are done (ask for receipts), that nothing new has appeared since the inspection, and that everything still works. Run water, flush toilets, try the heater and air conditioner, and look at areas that were hidden by furniture.