Jesse Lapham
ABR, RENE, AHWD
Realty Executives Arizona Territory
Buying a home is one of the largest investments most people will ever make. Before we start talking about repairs or negotiating credits, I want to answer one simple question:
What exactly are you buying?
The more eyes we can put on a property, the more information we have. The more information we have, the better decisions we can make.
That's why I recommend more than just a general home inspection.
A good home inspector is a generalist. They're trained to evaluate the home as a whole and give us a broad overview of its condition. In my opinion, that's where every inspection should begin.
But a generalist isn't a roofer.
They aren't an HVAC technician.
They aren't a sewer contractor.
Those specialists can answer questions a general inspection simply can't.
A home inspector can usually tell me whether a roof appears to be near the end of its life.
What they can't tell me is what it will actually cost to repair or replace it.
If a roof needs $18,000 worth of work, that's valuable information before closing—not after.
One question I hear all the time is:
“The seller says the air conditioner is brand new. Why inspect it?”
Because “new” doesn't always mean “correct.”
I've seen new systems installed improperly.
I've seen refrigerant levels below manufacturer specifications.
I've seen brand-new equipment operating, but nowhere near the efficiency it was designed to provide.
If you're buying the home, you deserve to know that.
A sewer line is something you'll probably never think about—until something goes wrong.
Broken lines, root intrusion, and damaged pipes can become very expensive repairs.
Compared to the cost of replacing a sewer line, the inspection itself is inexpensive.
Sometimes the greatest value isn't finding a problem.
It's confirming there isn't one.
In Southern Arizona, termite inspections are simply part of buying real estate.
Some loan programs require them.
I recommend them regardless.
Again, it's another piece of information that helps us understand the property before you own it.
Absolutely not.
One of the biggest misconceptions buyers have is that finding an issue means the deal is over.
It doesn't.
A house that needs a roof may still be the perfect house.
A twenty-year-old air conditioner may not stop someone from buying it.
The question isn't whether the house has issues.
The question is whether everyone understands those issues before moving forward.
Once we know what we're dealing with, we can have an informed conversation about price, repairs, seller credits, or whether the buyer would rather oversee the work themselves.
Whenever possible, I actually prefer negotiating a price reduction or seller credit instead of asking the seller to complete the repairs.
Why?
Because I want my buyer to choose the contractor.
I want my buyer to control the quality of the work.
I want my buyer to know exactly what's being installed in their home.
That isn't always possible, especially when a lender requires certain repairs before closing. But if we have options, that's usually the direction I recommend.
During the incredibly competitive market a few years ago, buyers were waiving inspections to compete with multiple offers.
I never recommended it.
Instead, I often suggested another approach.
If the buyer truly wanted to strengthen their offer, we could agree not to request repairs below a certain dollar amount.
That showed the seller we weren't going to nickel-and-dime them over loose doorknobs, paint colors, or cosmetic items.
But it still protected the buyer's right to understand what they were purchasing.
To me, that's a much more balanced approach.
A home inspection isn't about finding reasons not to buy a house.
It's about understanding the house you're buying.
Knowledge creates confidence.
Confidence leads to better decisions.
And that's exactly what I want for every client I represent.
Real estate is rarely one-size-fits-all. Every property, inspection, and buyer situation is different.
If you'd like to talk through a specific home or understand which inspections may make sense for your purchase, I'm always happy to have that conversation.
Jesse Lapham
Realty Executives Arizona Territory
