The Home Inspections You Shouldn’t Skip—Even If They’re Optional
Every so often, we work with buyers who are excited, well-prepared, and ready to move forward—but hesitate when it comes to a few specific home inspections because they want to save money on the inspections. And honestly, we get it. Buying a home comes with a lot of upfront costs, and adding optional inspections to the list can feel like just one more thing. But some of those “extra” inspections? They’ve ended up saving our buyers thousands.
We’ve seen this play out more than once—especially with sewer lateral and fireplace inspections. These two are often considered non-essential, or buyers assume the home looks good enough that they’re not needed. But in a couple of recent transactions, those very inspections uncovered issues that would have cost our buyers anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000 to repair. We’re talking full sewer line replacements and unsafe chimney structures. And had they skipped the inspection, that cost would’ve landed entirely on them.
Instead, the problems were documented early, giving us the chance to negotiate with the seller. In both cases, the sellers covered the repairs, and our clients moved in knowing they weren’t starting their homeownership journey under financial stress.
The point isn’t that every home will have a hidden $10,000 problem—but when they do, you want to find it before buying the home, not after. We always recommend the standard inspections, of course—general home, termite, radon—but we also talk with our buyers about the big-ticket items that aren’t always top of mind. Sewer lateral and fireplace issues may not come up on the general inspection, but when they do exist, they’re costly.
We’re here to guide you through every part of this process—not just writing contracts or scheduling showings, but helping you make informed decisions that protect your future investment. So if you’re ever unsure about which inspections are worth it, just ask. We’ll always give you our honest take and discuss with the home inspector too on their opinion.
Ready to talk through your next steps or just want to understand more about the buying process? We’re here when you need us.
