Buying a home can be very stressful, especially in today's seller's market, or when the purchaser is pressured by time restraints and other deadlines. When you finally find the home you want to buy, or a deal that seems too good to pass up, your instincts tell you to make an offer or buy before someone else beats you to it. On the other hand, you don't want one of the largest purchases that most people will ever make to end up being a very big mistake.

Discovering major defects in a house you've purchased after the fact can break not only your heart but your budget as well. No house is perfect, not even a new one, and significant defects that can cost $500 to $1,000 or more to correct are much more common than you might think. As a home buyer, it is important to educate yourself and to know what to look for when shopping for a house. (See our free Home Buyer's Checklist.) Rushing into a deal can be very costly, because major defects are not always obvious to the untrained eye.

The money spent on a home inspection is money well spent. The average home inspection will cost from $200 to $400 or more, but this is a relatively small expense considering the amount of money involved in the total purchase. A professional home inspector will have the knowledge, tools and experience to conduct a thorough inspection and provide you with a detailed report that will give you a good idea of the overall condition of the house. The inspector is required to indicate which items or systems are in need of repair, or not performing as intended. Many defects are relatively easy to repair or correct, but some are not. Many towns, cities or unincorporated areas in Texas are very lax or do not require building inspections when homes are constructed, and local or national codes are very often not strictly enforced. A good inspection will identify many of these deficiencies, some of which are potentially very dangerous. With inspection in hand, the buyer can negotiate with seller to reduce the price of the house, to pay for repairs, or deposit escrow moneys for repairs to be done by the buyer at a later date. (Through the escrow account, the buyer and not the seller will usually make the choice about who will do the repairs.) If the seller says a reported defect or hazard is not a problem and refuses to perform repairs or negotiate a price adjustment, it is up to the buyer to either accept the seller’s position or look for another house.

In this state, the Texas Real Estate Commission licenses home inspectors. Most real estate agents can provide you with a list of inspectors, but to avoid liability, will often not recommend a specific inspector or company. It is important to do some research on your own before choosing an inspector.

Remember that not all inspectors inspect everything. For example, many will not inspect wells, or septic tanks, burglar alarm systems, telephone, cable TV, home theater systems, satellite systems fences, and other such items. Most inspectors will not conduct environmental tests (lead paint, asbestos, radon, mold/bacteria, etc.) Specialists with highly sophisticated instruments or tools do that.

Most misunderstandings over home inspections occur because the home buyer does not understand the scope of the home inspection process. To avoid disagreements, it’s wise to read every word of the inspector’s contract and report. These documents specify the extent of the inspection. (The Scope of Inspections or minimum standards are also defined by the Texas Real Estate Commission. See our links page for further information.)