Your First Home Inspection: What to Watch For and What to Let Go

A licensed home inspector performs a visual examination of accessible systems and components: structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and more. They are documenting observable conditions — they are not diagnosing hidden defects, performing destructive testing, or providing cost estimates (though some do as a courtesy).

A typical inspection takes 2.5 to 4 hours for a suburban Pittsburgh home. Plan to attend. Walking through with the inspector is far more valuable than reading the report afterward — you'll understand which items are routine and which the inspector is flagging as priorities.

Red flags are issues that affect safety, structural integrity, or major systems in ways that may be expensive or difficult to remediate: evidence of foundation movement, active water intrusion in the basement, knob-and-tube wiring in active use, a failing HVAC system, or a roof within a few years of full replacement.

Maintenance items are deferred upkeep that any house accumulates over time: a slow bathroom faucet, minor caulking gaps, a squeaky floor joist, exterior paint peeling at one corner. These appear on every inspection report and are not reasons to terminate — they're a negotiating data point or a to-do list.

The distinction that matters most: will this item be expensive, unexpected, or dangerous if left unaddressed? If yes, it's a red flag. If it's cosmetic, routine, or easily remediated, let it go.

In Pittsburgh's current market, inspection-related negotiations are common. Buyers typically ask for either a price reduction or a seller credit at closing to address legitimate defects found during inspection — not a punch list of cosmetic items.

My approach with clients: identify the three to five items with real cost implications and focus the negotiation there. A $3,000 credit request on a $600,000 purchase over a water heater near end-of-life is reasonable. Demanding fifteen items be repaired before closing often kills deals and rarely reflects the home's actual condition.

If you discover a genuine structural or safety issue, you have the right to terminate under the inspection contingency and receive your earnest money back. The contingency exists precisely for this scenario.