Home inspections share much with colonoscopies; both are invasive, both inspect to a level infrequently visited and both leave you a bit dazed and confused. Many agents, buyers and 
sellers might say that a good cleanse and nap is preferred to working through an inspection report. It doesn’t have to be that way. While there will be issues with every home, if the agents, buyers and sellers are properly prepared and have reasonable expectations the process doesn’t always have to be brutal.
Agents are critical to successfully resolving inspection issues. Not because they're so wonderful or special; they're disinterested and removed. To agents, it's all business; while sellers especially, take this very personally. It is after all, an attack on their home and it's not flattering and it will cost them money.
There are ways to get through inspections that satisfy all concerned. Every home has issues and every inspector is going to produce a lengthy report; that is why they are hired. Probably 75% of the home inspection is boilerplate - things the inspector knows will be issues. After reviewing hundreds it's easy to expect that things like:
- poor surface water control
- non working GFI outlets
- double tapped breakers
- wood rot
- aged roof
- clogged gutters
- vegetation too close to the house
- signs of rodents
These are expected. So it's key to set expectations for the inspection with both the buyer and seller, a good agent does that for their client.
There's much more to know about how to negotiate home inspections as Hank Miller explains in his article How to Keep Home Inspections Under Control. Learn how to keep things moving forward and to focus on what the key issues are that might be present.
The Hank Miller Team counsels home buyers and sellers in the Atlanta area with over 25 years of sales and appraisal experience.
