A home inspection is a professional's top-to-bottom review of a property's condition, and in a typical transaction it is your best protection after you go under contract. Paul walks every buyer through how it works before the offer phase, so the process feels like a tool instead of a threat.
What the inspector checks
Structure, roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, windows, and major appliances. The inspector looks for safety issues, material defects, and items that will likely need attention soon. You are usually welcome to attend, and Paul recommends it: you will learn more about your future home in two hours than in ten showings.
How to read the report
Inspection reports list dozens of findings, and almost every home has a few. The skill is sorting them: safety and structural issues that must be addressed, material defects that justify negotiation, and routine maintenance items that are just life as a homeowner.
What happens next
- Safety or structural issues: request repairs or a credit before closing
- Material defects: negotiate price or terms based on the estimate
- Maintenance items: note them in your home file and budget for the first year
- Major red flags: in rare cases, the right move is walking away
Paul reviews the report line by line with his buyers, gets quotes for the significant items, and handles the negotiation with the seller's agent. You never argue the report alone. That is what representation is for.
Written by Paul Knighton
Paul is an Oregon Principal Broker and Idaho Associate Broker with MORE Realty, serving buyers and sellers across the Portland Metro and the Treasure Valley. He answers every inquiry himself.
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