Home Inspection Checklist for Buyers: What to Check
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-04 · Published and reviewed for compliance by Camilo Palacio, a Florida Licensed Realtor
A standard home inspection covers the roof, foundation, exterior, attic, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, water heater, windows, doors, and built-in appliances. It usually runs $300 to $500 and takes two to four hours. It does not cover radon, mold, termites, or sewer lines. Those need specialty inspectors. Walk through the report with your agent and decide what's worth negotiating, not just what to worry about.
| Factor | DIY Walkthrough | Licensed Inspector |
|---|---|---|
| What gets checked | Whatever catches your eye, mostly cosmetic | Roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and structural components |
| Tools used | Your eyes, maybe a flashlight | Moisture meters, outlet testers, attic and crawlspace access, sometimes a thermal camera |
| What you walk away with | A gut feeling | A written report you can use to negotiate repairs or credits |
What a Standard Inspection Actually Covers
A general home inspection follows a fairly consistent scope across the industry: roof and attic, exterior siding and grading, foundation, electrical panel and visible wiring, plumbing and water heater, HVAC system, windows and doors, and built-in appliances. A standard single-family home inspection typically costs between $300 and $500 and takes two to four hours on site. The written report usually arrives within a couple of business days, with photos documenting anything the inspector flagged.
What's Not Included (and Needs Its Own Inspector)
A general inspector is not a specialist. Radon, mold, termites and other wood-destroying organisms, asbestos, lead paint, sewer line condition, and well or septic systems all fall outside a standard inspection's scope. Each of those typically requires a separate specialty inspection, often in the $150 to $400 range per item, and buyers usually order them separately based on the home's age, location, or their own concerns.
Walking the House System by System
Start at the top: roof age, flashing, gutters, and any signs of past leaks in the attic insulation. Move to the foundation and exterior grading, since water pooling near the house is one of the most common issues inspectors flag. Check the electrical panel for outdated wiring types and confirm outlets and GFCI protection work. Run the water heater and check under sinks for slow leaks. Test the HVAC system in whatever mode makes sense for the season. Open and close every window and exterior door. Run the major appliances that are staying with the house.
What to Do With the Report
Once the report is in hand, sort findings into three buckets: safety issues, big-ticket repairs, and cosmetic notes. Safety issues and major systems are usually worth a repair request or a credit. Cosmetic notes rarely are. If you're the one selling and worried about what an inspection might turn up, a locked net price agreed to before repairs are even scoped, which is how Cash Flow Deals structures its offers, removes a lot of the back-and-forth an inspection report usually triggers.
Common questions
How much does a home inspection cost?
A standard single-family home inspection typically costs between $300 and $500. Older homes, larger square footage, or homes with issues like outdated wiring can push that higher.
Is a home inspection required to buy a house?
No. It's not legally required and lenders don't require it, that's what the appraisal is for. Almost every experienced buyer gets one anyway, since it's the only step that tells you about the home's actual condition.
What's the difference between a home inspection and a home appraisal?
An inspection evaluates the home's condition for the buyer. An appraisal evaluates the home's value for the lender. They're ordered separately, by different people, for different reasons.
Can I skip the inspection to make my offer more competitive?
Some buyers waive the inspection contingency to compete in a fast market, but that's different from skipping the inspection itself. Waiving the contingency means you can't back out or negotiate over what's found, which carries real risk on an older home.
What happens if the inspector finds something serious?
Depending on your contract's inspection period, you can typically negotiate a repair, ask for a credit at closing, or walk away from the deal. What's negotiable depends on your state's contract terms and how the offer was written.
Keep reading
What this means for your options
Every path to selling a house has real tradeoffs. Cash Flow Deals is built for the middle: faster than a traditional listing, more money than a cash investor.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
No repairs, no showings, no financing contingency on your side — our novation structure connects you with a bank-financed buyer at a price locked at signing. Usually within one business day.
See your selling options before you decide anything.