The Inspection Period is the specified amount of time agreed upon by both parties in the offer which the Buyer may hire a home inspector examine the property. It’s not advised to skip this step as it gives you the opportunity to negotiate any health and safety issues at the home or back out of the deal should a major issue be uncovered.


The timeframe selected usually ranges between 6-10 days in the current market, and must be agreed upon by all parties at the beginning of the transaction. The inspection period begins the day after everyone has signed all paperwork, called the Final Acceptance Date. Beginning the day after the Final Acceptance Date, you have as many days are as agreed upon to have the inspection completed and all subsequent negotiations. For instance, if everything is signed on the 10th (Final Acceptance Date) and you have 7 days for inspection, the Inspection Period would begin on the 11th and you would have until 17th to have the inspection completed and complete all negotiations. 


Once the Inspection Period begins, you should contact an inspection company of your choosing, or listed below are the ones we have worked with many times and trust. Inspection companies will typically charge anywhere from $300-$800. They will set up a time with you to come to the home, usually within a couple days of your call. We want you to be there for the inspection, at least for the last 30 minutes to an hr so you can see any issues first hand. This is very important! The inspection itself can take 4-5 hours as they take a very in-depth look at everything in the home from the roof to the basement. They will take photos and give you a report, usually within about 24 hours. At that point, your Realtor will go over the findings with you and together you will decide the next steps. 

Once we receive the inspection report back please be aware that it may look a bit scary. This is because it will be pointing out all the deficiencies of the home and none of the positive aspects. EVERY home has issues, even new construction homes. You should look at the inspection report as more of a checklist for your home maintenance.


A quality inspector is going to find an extensive list of noteworthy, marginal, and potentially hazardous items even in newer homes. Some of the most common issues that we see are ungrounded outlets, negative grading, unvented fixtures, and furnaces that need to be safety checked. The key is to concentrate on the safety issues or issues that are not common to homes of this age. 


Try to limit your requests to no more than five items to increase your chances of coming to agreeable terms with the sellers. Keep in mind that these requests will reopen the negotiations and give the sellers the potential to walk away if agreeable terms are not met. If you are unable to limit yourself to five requests, then you should ask if this is the right home for you.

Congratulations! We are one step closer to your new home! 

Inspection companies we recommend: 


Inspecta-Homes

https://www.inspectahomes.com/

651-641-0641


WIN Home Inspections

https://woodbury.wini.com/

Richard Wilson

WIN Home Inspection
(651) 501-7670