Short answerInspectors look at what they can see and reach: roof, structure, water control, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, attic, and interior. Appraisers for FHA, VA, and USDA loans look at safety, security, and soundness. These guides explain each system, what is normal for its age, what is serious, and what repairs usually cost.
Every guide in this section is written for both sides of the deal. Each one has a part for sellers and a part for buyers, so you can see the same finding from the other chair at the table.
Start with the difference between an inspection, an appraisal, and a condition walk if you are new to this, or jump to the system you care about below.
Start here
Loan programs and appraisals
- What do FHA, VA, and USDA appraisers flag on a house?
- What does an FHA appraiser require?
- What are VA Minimum Property Requirements?
- What are USDA property requirements, and which Southern Indiana areas are eligible?
- When an appraisal says subject to repairs, who pays and how does it work?
- Will peeling paint stop an FHA, VA, or USDA loan on a house built before 1978?
- How much roof life does an FHA, VA, or USDA appraiser want to see?
- Do the utilities, heat, and handrails have to work for a government loan appraisal?
- What well and septic tests do FHA, VA, and USDA loans require?
- What happens when the appraisal comes in low?
- Can you get an FHA, VA, or USDA loan on a manufactured home?
Foundations
Known problem materials
- Is a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel dangerous, and will insurance cover the house?
- Is aluminum wiring in a 1970s house a deal breaker?
- Can you buy or sell a house with knob and tube wiring?
- What should you do about polybutylene pipe?
- How long do galvanized water pipes last?
- Are cast iron or Orangeburg drain pipes about to fail?
- What is Kitec plumbing, and does it need to be replaced?
- What is CSST gas line bonding, and why do inspectors flag it?
- Where is asbestos found in older homes, and what should you do about it?
- What does the federal lead paint disclosure rule require for homes built before 1978?
- Is vermiculite attic insulation a problem?
- What problems do LP and other composite sidings have?
- What is EIFS synthetic stucco, and why does it worry inspectors?
- What is defective imported drywall, and how do you spot it?
- How do you check for recalled shingles, windows, and plumbing fittings?
Indiana rules
- What is on the Indiana Seller's Residential Real Estate Sales Disclosure form?
- What does an Indiana seller have to disclose, and what should buyers read closely?
- How do Indiana property taxes, proration, and homestead deductions work when you buy or sell?
- How do inspection and contingency deadlines work in an Indiana purchase agreement?
- How do flood zones and flood insurance affect buying or selling in Southern Indiana?
Home systems
- How long does a roof last in Southern Indiana, and what will an inspector flag?
- Is that foundation crack or bowed basement wall serious?
- Why is water getting into the basement, and how do grading, gutters, and downspouts fix it?
- What do inspectors look for in basements, crawlspaces, and sump pumps?
- What electrical problems do home inspectors find most often?
- What plumbing problems show up on a home inspection?
- How old is too old for a water heater, and what do inspectors flag?
- How long do furnaces and air conditioners last, and what will an inspector check?
- What does an inspector look for in the attic, insulation, and ventilation?
- What do inspectors flag on windows, doors, and siding?
- Is my deck, stairway, or railing safe enough to pass inspection?
- What is garage fire separation, and why do inspectors flag it?
- Does the chimney or fireplace need a specialist before closing?
- What smoke and carbon monoxide detectors does a house need when it sells?
- Is radon a problem in Southern Indiana, and should I test before buying or selling?
- Mold and moisture in a house: what is normal, and what is serious?
- What does a termite or wood destroying insect inspection find, and who pays?
- How does a septic system get inspected, and what does a failing one cost?
- What should a private well inspection and water test include?
- Should you scope the sewer line before buying an older house?
- Why do inspectors flag dryer vents?
- What do inspectors find in kitchens and bathrooms?
- Are unpermitted additions and finished basements a problem when you sell or buy?
- What do inspectors and appraisers look at on acreage, outbuildings, and pole barns?
About John
Want to know what a buyer's inspector may find before they do?
Book a free pre listing condition walk. I walk the house with you, point out what inspectors and FHA, VA, and USDA appraisers tend to flag, and give you planning ranges so you can decide what to fix, credit, price in, or disclose.
Book a condition walkOr call or text (812) 525-5489, or email [email protected].
The condition walk is a REALTOR® and contractor evaluation, not a home inspection, and it does not replace one. If you have already signed a listing agreement with another agent, please take these questions to your agent.
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.
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.