Spring kicks off a busy real estate and home inspection season
Spring kicks off a busy real estate and home inspection season
Home inspectors urge prospective buyers not to skip the inspection
Updated: 8:00 PM EDT Apr 4, 2025
SHOULD BE THE TOP OF YOUR LIST. A HOME INSPECTION IS TRADITIONALLY A KEY PART OF THE HOME BUYING PROCESS, BUT A FEBRUARY 2022 SURVEY BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FOUND NEARLY A QUARTER OF BUYERS WAIVED AN INSPECTION CONTRACT CONTINGENCY. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO. INSTEAD OF WAIVING INSPECTION, YOU CAN SAY TO THE SELLER THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR REPAIRS UNDER A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT, TO JUST SAY THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MAJOR ITEMS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. HOME INSPECTORS ARE ADAPTING TO THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT. JAMES BROCK OWNS BOSTON HOME INSPECTORS. HIS COMPANY HAS STARTED OFFERING INSPECTIONS FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS WHO HAVEN’T EVEN MADE AN OFFER YET. SO WE PERFORM WHAT’S CALLED A STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM ONLY INSPECTION, WHICH COVERS THE EXTERIOR ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING. JUST AS A REGULAR HOME INSPECTION. AND THEN WE’LL DO ALL THE STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT, INCLUDING THE ELECTRICAL, THE PLUMBING AND THE HEATING. IN THE REST OF THE HOUSE. BROCK AND HIS TEAM WILL DO A BRIEF WALKTHROUGH. IT’S ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT THEY GET WITH A PRE-OFFER, A STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM ONLY INSPECTION TO KNOW THAT THE HOUSE ISN’T GOING TO FALL DOWN. BROCK SAYS THE ONSET OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC ALSO PROMPTED CHANGES IN HIS WORK. PRE COVID, WE STARTED VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INSPECTION AND THEN WHEN COVID HIT, IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO ATTEND THE HOME INSPECTION OR THEY COULDN’T. BROCK RECOMMENDS THAT POTENTIAL BUYERS CHECK OUT THE BASEMENT WHEN LOOKING AT A PROPERTY AND KEEP THEIR EYES OPEN FOR SIGNS OF MOLD. FOR SELLERS WHO THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH SOMETHING AS AN INSPECTOR, WHEN YOU WALK INTO A ROOM, YOU NOTICE SOMETHING THAT JUST SHOULDN’T BE THERE OR SHOULDN’T SIT THAT WAY. SO IF SOMEBODY’S A SELLER IS TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW A GOOD INSPECTOR WILL BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP. SOME OF THE UNUSUAL ISSUES BROCK HAS CAUGHT DURING HIS INSPECTIONS NOW SHOW UP ON HIS INSTAGRAM PAGE, RANGING FROM DINGY FILTERS AND LEAKY FAUCETS TO A LOT OF DECKS THAT ARE HELD UP WITH CREATIVE CARPENTRY. I STARTED POSTING ONE PICTURE A DAY OF STUFF THAT WE FIND, AND NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 17,000 FOLLOWERS. AND A BIT OF AN UPDATE ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WAIVING INSPECTIONS. A RECENT SURVEY FOUND THAT NUMBER HAS ACTUALLY DROPPED FROM 23% OF BUYERS, DOWN TO 20% OF BUYERS. YEAH, AND 1 IN 5 HOMEOWNERS SAY, WELL, WE’LL JUST TAKE OUR CHANCES. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS SAY THIS IS A SLIGHT BREAK FOR B
Spring kicks off a busy real estate and home inspection season
Home inspectors urge prospective buyers not to skip the inspection
Updated: 8:00 PM EDT Apr 4, 2025
A February 2022 survey by the National Association of Realtors found that 23% of buyers waived a home inspection contract contingency. James Brock, of Boston Home Inspectors, said his company has started offering a different type of inspection for potential buyers who haven’t made an offer yet. It’s a structure and system-only inspection. It covers the exterior of the home, the basement, and essential systems like plumbing, electrical, and heating.
A February 2022 survey by the National Association of Realtors found that 23% of buyers waived a home inspection contract contingency. James Brock, of Boston Home Inspectors, said his company has started offering a different type of inspection for potential buyers who haven’t made an offer yet. It’s a structure and system-only inspection. It covers the exterior of the home, the basement, and essential systems like plumbing, electrical, and heating.
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