Inspect the home you’re buying. An overview to get you started.

Unless you’ve are either an extremely experienced contractor or if you’ve waived your right to inspect a home in the offer you made for it, a thorough review of the entirety of the physical house should be completed by experts. Do yourself a huge favor and get as much information about what it’s going to look like to own and care for this home as you possibly can before you sign on the dotted line.

A general inspection covers all areas of the house such as:

• Site Drainage

• Roof System

• Foundation, Crawlspace, and Basement

• Structure

• Siding

• Attic, Ventilation + Insulation

• Heating and Cooling Systems

• Electrical System

• Plumbing System

• Doors, Windows + Interior

• Built-in Kitchen Appliances

*General inspections don't typically cover internal structures of fireplaces, pool and hot tubs and other specialties.

The inspection should be done by licensed professionals, and a detailed report is compiled for the potential buyer. Once the inspections are completed, the homebuyer may use these as a tool to help finalize their decision about moving forward with their purchase or using specific feedback to negotiate price reductions, repairs or credits to closing costs from the seller. In Oregon, if a buyer is asking for something from the seller as a result of inspection findings, the buyer is required to provide some or all of the inspection report to the seller if requested.

In addition to a general home inspection, a sewer inspection, oil tank search, and a radon test are also highly recommended for all real estate transactions in Oregon. Happy inspecting!