What is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection is an examination of the state of a home that is limited and non-invasive. Home inspections are most commonly performed within the due diligence of a home sale as an often required part of a real estate transaction. Home inspections are almost always performed by home inspectors. Although there are limited licensing requirements in some states, the majority of home inspectors are required to be licensed and insured in most states. The end-product of a home inspection is usually a written report about the state and condition of a home. This report is a sort of limited and non-invasive snapshot of a home’s condition at a certain point in time. Typically, the potential buyer will use this home inspection to gain some insight about the condition of the home at the time of inspection. The home inspection report generated by the inspector will allow the prospective buyer to make a more well-informed decision about purchasing the home. Buyers will sometimes use the home inspection report in order to receive discounts from the home seller prior to the conclusion of the transaction.