Waiving Inspections

By Mary Johnson

Finance Writer and Blogger

According to CNBC, as many as 10% of home buyers choose to waive their home inspections. While this may seem a bit unorthodox, it’s a strategy that makes sense. When trying to buy your dream home, you don’t want your offer to be held up by procedure. 

So it all begs the question:

Are home inspections really necessary? Do the reports actually convey useful information?

Here’s a quick overview of some of the factors that your home inspectors will likely be looking at during walkthroughs.

Factor #1: Water Damage 

In 2020, The Balance explained that water damage was one of the most common damage claims made by homeowners.

For obvious reasons, this isn’t ideal. But there are few things worse than buying the home of your dreams only to discover a bunch of water damage when you weren’t expecting it. 

The thing about this type of damage is that it doesn’t always look the same from house to house. In one place, it could be obvious that the frozen pipes are going to cause problems. But in other homes, the only sign you see could be a small amount of warping on the kitchen tile. And if the house you’re looking at has undergone recent repairs, many of the problems could be hidden behind fresh paint jobs and new insulation.

Water damage won’t always jump out at you early, but an experienced home inspector may be able to spot tell-tale signs of water damage that are otherwise easy to overlook.

Factor #2: Your HVAC

In 2019, Energies published a paper called “Data-Driven Evaluation of Residential HVAC System Efficiency Using Energy and Environmental Data”. The paper observed that residential homes often had “functional” systems in the sense that the air conditioner would work when you turned it on but that in many cases these residential HVAC systems just weren’t operating at a high level of efficiency. You don’t want to move into your home and find out that your air conditioner is causing your energy bill to skyrocket. But it’s not always easy to tell during the walkthrough if your home-to-be has a furnace that’s on its last legs. The home inspection report will often involve checking your thermostat while also making sure that your heating and cooling systems are working. This in turn allows you to make an informed decision about the property you’re considering. 

Factor #3: The State of Your Foundation

Imagine saving a down payment and working tirelessly on your credit score only to buy a home that has asbestos in the foundation that you didn’t know about. That’s the type of situation that takes a house from “I love this place!” to “I wish I’d known about that.” really quickly. Most of the time, if the house is standing and looking move-in ready, problems with the foundation aren’t going to be as glaringly obvious as a full-blown crack. However, signs of foundation damage may include a sinking floor, cracks in the walls, or even doors that just won’t open and close the way they should. You don’t need to be a certified and fully insured contractor to know that foundation problems can be expensive and in some cases impossible to fix. A home inspection report can help you make an informed decision. 

Factor #4: The Roof 

If you asked 10 people to list the most important parts of a house, chances are that the roof is somewhere in most people’s top three. But at the same time, problems with the roof can be difficult to navigate. After all, when the roof is leaking, it’s not like you can fix it with duct tape. Home inspection reports have a certain amount of scope. You can’t expect to hear your inspector commenting on purely cosmetic issues with the house or closely studying a small doorknob scratch. These reports are primarily concerned with how functional the house is. But if there are soft spots on the roof or shingles missing, odds are good that your home inspection report will call attention to that. And when you’re dealing with a feature as essential as your roof, every pair of eyes counts.

This is Why Home Inspections are an Investment Worth Making

The real estate market was red hot in 2020 and 2021 is shaping up to be another strong year. A good home inspection can save you money, spare you from doing repairs, and can give you leverage during pricing negotiations. When you consider the amount of money that changes hands when you buy a house, a home inspection for peace of mind is going to be money well spent. 

About NxtMove Inspections:

At NxtMove Inspections, we believe in delivering the highest quality in customer satisfaction and we are committed to providing you with the best services in the industry. Our state-of-the-art report and modern technology will ensure that every detail of the home is examined for safety and function.

Our main services include Condo, Townhouse, and Single-Family Home Inspections. We also specialize in homeowners insurance inspections such as 4-Point inspections and Wind Mitigation reports.

All our inspections come with over $100,000 in warranties and a BuyBack Guarantee.

Other services offered:

• Swimming Pool & Spa Inspections
• Sewer Scope Inspections
• Home Energy Assessment
• Thermal Imaging
• Commercial Building Inspections
• Real Estate-Media

We use state-of-the-art equipment including moisture meters, temperature sensors, drones, thermal imaging equipment, and handheld metal detectors.

The report we provide you with contains detailed photographs of defects, covers all major items, and gives you the knowledge you need to make a fully informed decision. We even check for recalled appliances and offer the option to include a professionally drafted repair cost estimate. Most standard inspection reports can be delivered on-site and appliance recall reports or repair estimates may be delivered in 24 – 48 hours.

Call today to ensure your next move is a smart move!

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