Buying · 6 min read
What a home inspection can and can't tell you
Every inspection report looks alarming. Most of them aren't.
The report is a list, not a verdict
A thorough inspector will note dozens of items on any house older than a decade. The job afterwards is triage: safety, structure, water, and the expensive systems.
The four that matter
Roof, HVAC, electrical panel and anything to do with water getting where it shouldn't. Those carry real cost. Sticking windows and a missing outlet cover do not.
Older housing stock around here
Much of Westminster, Gettysburg and York City predates modern wiring and drainage standards. That isn't a reason to walk away, it's a reason to hire an inspector who knows old buildings.
Still got a question about this? Send it over.
I answer these myself. No call center, no assistant screening the awkward ones.