🏡 WHAT TO EXPECT ON INSPECTION DAY

📅 The Big Day – Your Home Inspection

A home inspection is a critical step in the home-buying process. It provides you with a comprehensive evaluation of the property’s condition, helping you make an informed decision ✅.

To ensure the inspection goes smoothly, please take a moment to review the guidelines sent in your confirmation email 📧. These outline what the seller expects from visitors, including home inspectors, who are granted access through the contract between the seller and agent.

Our inspection follows the Texas Standards of Practice for Inspectors 🛠️, ensuring a professional and thorough assessment.

Home inspections can sometimes reveal unexpected surprises. For Realtors, buyers, and sellers, understanding the key distinctions in the inspection process helps set realistic expectations and ensures a smoother experience. Whether you’re navigating the inspection of a brand-new home, an existing one, or an older property, it's crucial to approach the report with the right perspective.

⚙️ Key Elements of Home Inspections   The basic standards for home inspections apply to all properties, covering every accessible system and component, including:

• ⚡ Electricity
• 🚰 Plumbing
• 🏗️ Structural elements

However, the age and condition of a home significantly impact the findings of an inspection.

🏚️ Inspecting Older Homes   When inspecting older homes—especially those that haven’t been remodeled in years—there are often more deficiencies related to outdated systems and components. For example:

• Electrical systems from the 1950s or 1960s may not meet current safety standards.
• Plumbing or HVAC systems may be original to the home.

Per the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) guidelines, inspectors must flag systems that haven’t been upgraded as deficient for safety reasons, even if they are still functional.

It’s important to communicate to buyers that these deficiencies often reflect how outdated the systems are compared to modern standards. This doesn’t necessarily mean the home is in poor condition—it’s simply a reflection of the age of the property.

If a home hasn’t been remodeled, expect to see many original components. Buyers should be prepared for this and understand the implications of maintaining an older home.

🏠 Inspecting Newly Built Homes   Newly built homes come with their own unique set of expectations:

• The main focus is to ensure compliance with current building standards.
• The inspector verifies that everything is functioning as it should.
• If issues are found, the builder is generally responsible for repairs before the sale is completed.

This makes inspections of newly built homes different from those of older homes, where a property’s condition often depends on past maintenance and updates.

🤝 Setting Expectations   

For Realtors: Educate your clients before they even step into a home.   

For Buyers: Understand the process and set realistic expectations.

A home built in the 1960s will likely yield different inspection results compared to one from the 1980s or 2000s, while new homes are typically inspected to ensure compliance with current building standards.

🚪 Collaborative Preparation is Key   By Realtors preparing their clients for what the inspection report will reveal—and by buyers understanding the realities of owning an older home—you can set realistic expectations and avoid surprises.

Engaging in a walkthrough of the property is an essential step and a valuable opportunity to discuss important details while showing the home to potential buyers. This allows you to apply the information discussed earlier, ensuring a clear understanding of key aspects. Viewing the property firsthand helps eliminate false expectations when receiving the inspection report.

🔍 Evaluating the home’s condition and discussing potential issues that may arise during the inspection fosters:

🗣️ Clear Communication – Ensures all parties have a thorough understanding of the home’s condition and inspection findings. 

😌 Reduced Stress – Helps manage expectations and minimizes unexpected surprises.   

🤝 An Informed & Aligned Process – Keeps buyers, sellers, and Realtors on the same page to make confident decisions.

✅ This proactive approach guarantees a seamless and successful experience for everyone involved! 🌟