Considering a “Walk-Through Home Inspection”? Why You Should Think Twice

The real estate market is hot everywhere, especially in the Huntsville/Madison area. There is an increasing temptation to skip the traditional 3-hour home inspection and ask for a super-quick inspection of the home. This inspection goes by several names, including “walk-through”, “quick”, and “report-less”. In today’s hyper-competitive market buyers may be tempted to simplify or even skip this essential step. This is a bad idea. First, home inspections must abide by the state’s
Standards of Practice (SOP), a list of required things that must be inspected. It’s difficult or impossible to inspect everything on that list in 30 minutes. Any ethical
inspector will steer clear of demands to shortcut the standards. Second, the really critical systems are found in crawlspaces, attics, and roofs…all of which require
time and care to properly examine. In summary, don’t do it. Cutting this crucial step short can leave you on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars of unanticipated
repairs and legal headaches for years to come.