Don’t Skip the Home Inspection

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(Columbus) – It’s no secret Ohio’s housing market is extremely competitive. Average sales prices are going up, while inventory, especially in certain areas, is at a record low.

Across the nation, 23% of home buyers waived an inspection contract contingency in February, a slight increase from the previous month, according to survey data from the National Association of Realtors.

The Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing encourages home buyers to think twice before skipping this step and making arguably the biggest purchase of their life.

“We understand it’s hard to find your dream home, but I strongly encourage you to not skip the home inspection,” said REPL Superintendent Anne Petit. “You never know what issues the inspection may reveal. Some problems could cause a buyer to spend thousands of dollars more after they purchase the home when they hadn’t budgeted for that in the home-buying process.”

Ohio became the 34th state to regulate home inspectors in January 2019 after Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 255, creating the Home Inspector Program.

The Ohio Home Inspector Board adopted rules including Canons of ethics and standards of practice and determined the qualifying and continuing education needed to be licensed, all of which help guide the home inspector’s delivery of services.

There are now more than 1,300 licensed home inspectors as of the first quarter of 2022. Whole house inspections help to identify certain things including:

• Roofs in need of repair
• Signs of animal or insect infestation
• An inadequately attached deck
• Readily accessible foundation or visible ceiling damage
• Potential plumbing and electrical concerns

“It is important Ohioans make the right choice when purchasing a home – know what you’re giving up before waiving inspections,” Petit said.

Additionally, SB 255 requires real estate agents, who choose to supply names of home inspectors, to provide at least three actively licensed inspectors to home buyers and sellers.

Ohioans can determine if a home inspector is licensed by looking online. They can also contact the Division directly to see if a complaint has been filed and/or disciplinary action has been taken against the home inspector they’re considering. Additionally, the American Society of Home Inspectors offers tips on what to look for in a home inspector.