Short answerRead the inspector's definitions first, then the full report, and the summary last. Sort each item into safety, defect, maintenance, or normal for age. Pay attention to recommend further evaluation, which means get a specialist before your deadline. Use the photos and locations so you can show a contractor exactly what was found.
A simple reading order
- The inspector's scope and limitations: what was not inspected and why.
- Category definitions at the front.
- Every item, with photos.
- The summary last, after you have formed your own view.
Phrases worth noticing
- Recommend further evaluation: hire a specialist.
- Not accessible or not inspected: a gap in what you know.
- Monitor: usually maintenance, sometimes an early warning.
Next: safety, defect, or maintenance and what to ask the seller to fix.
Frequently asked questions
Should I attend the inspection?
Yes, for the last part at least. The inspector can show you what matters in person.
Why are some areas not inspected?
Locked areas, stored items, snow, or unsafe access. Ask the seller to make them available and request a return visit.
Keep reading
Looking at a house and not sure what you are getting into?
Ask for a free Before You Offer review. Send me the listing. I look over the photos, the seller's disclosure, and recent sales, then flag likely condition issues and planning cost ranges before you write an offer.
Request a Before You Offer reviewOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email [email protected].
The Before You Offer review is a REALTOR® and contractor review of the listing, not a home inspection. It is for buyers who are not already working with an agent. If you have an agent, please bring these questions to your agent.
Written by John Long, REALTOR®, 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate. Working contractor who has priced hundreds of home inspection repair requests. Former labor relations negotiator for a major manufacturer and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
John Long, REALTOR® · 1 Percent Lists Indiana Real Estate · (812) 525-5489 · yourpropertynegotiator.com
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional home inspection, and not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice. Ask a real estate attorney about contracts and disclosure, a CPA about taxes, your lender about loan rules, and a licensed inspector or tradesperson about your house. Nothing here guarantees a sale price, net proceeds, repair cost, payment, timeline, appraisal, inspection result, or loan approval. Cost figures are planning estimates, not bids. I own Wardmark Property Operations LLC, a contracting company. You are always free to use any contractor you choose.