Questions for the Home Inspector
A great inspector answers your decision, not just the form. Show up with the right questions - especially about water and older systems.
Inspection and Condition
What this article helps you decide
> The inspection is your best information window and it's short. These questions get you actions and priorities on a Eastside home, not just a 40-page PDF you decode alone.
Work through the decision in order
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Questions for the Home Inspector
Use the worksheet without a form. Keep your notes in this browser, then bring the live facts into a Real Estate Review if the decision still matters.
Questions about Questions for the Home Inspector
Clear answers first. If one question changes the deal, bring it into the review before you move money.
Q1What's the single best question to ask the inspector on-site?+
"What are the top three issues you'd want to know about if you were buying this?" It cuts a 40-page report down to the decisions and surfaces the decision-changers fast.
Q2How do I get "normal for the age" context?+
Ask directly which findings are expected for the home's age versus genuine concerns. That framing keeps you from renegotiating cosmetic wear and from ignoring a real problem because "the house is old."
Q3What should I ask about specialists?+
Which findings need an engineer, roofer, drainage, or sewer specialist — and whether there are any water intrusion, drainage, or crawlspace signs. Those three are the local trio that most often need a second look.
Q4What cost and timing questions matter?+
Which items are safety or urgent versus plan-over-time, and the remaining life on the roof, HVAC, and water heater. That turns the report into a budget and a priority order, not just a list.
Q5Can I attend the inspection, and should I?+
Yes, and you should. Being on-site lets you ask your decision questions in real time and see the issues yourself, which beats decoding the PDF alone afterward.
Q6I have my top three and specialist list — what next?+
Book the flagged specialists (especially drainage or sewer) before the contingency ends, then turn it into renegotiate, accept, or walk. That call is the core of a Real Estate Review.
Apply the article to the live decision.
Bring the report to a Real Estate Review and we'll turn it into "renegotiate / accept / walk."
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