Buyer’s guide
The home inspection, explained
The inspection is where a house stops being a listing and becomes a real building with a real condition. In North Carolina it happens during your due diligence period — the window when you can investigate and, if something serious turns up, negotiate or walk away with your earnest money. I’m Frank L Coxx, a licensed North Carolina broker with NorthGroup Real Estate. I’m not a home inspector, but I’ll make sure you get the right one and know what to do with what they find.
What a general home inspection covers
A licensed inspector does a visual, non-invasive review of the home’s major systems and reports on their condition. That typically includes:
- Roof, gutters, and visible flashing
- Foundation, crawl space, and structural components
- Electrical panel, wiring, and outlets
- Plumbing, water heater, and visible leaks
- HVAC — heating and air conditioning
- Attic, insulation, and ventilation
- Windows, doors, walls, and ceilings
- Grading and drainage around the home
What it doesn’t do is open walls or guarantee the future — an inspector reports what’s visible on the day, not what’s hidden or what will fail next year.
Specialized inspections worth considering
Depending on the home, the general inspector may recommend bringing in a specialist:
- Wood-destroying insect / termite (WDIR). Common in the Carolinas, and often required for VA and other loans.
- Sewer scope. A camera down the main line — cheap insurance on older homes with mature trees.
- Septic and well. Essential on rural and outer-metro properties that aren’t on city water and sewer.
- Radon. A colorless gas found in parts of the Piedmont; a simple test rules it in or out.
- Structural, roof, or HVAC specialists when the general inspection flags something beyond a visual read.
New construction still needs inspections
A brand-new home is not automatically a flawless one. On new construction I recommend a pre-drywall inspection (while the bones are still visible), a final inspection before closing, and an 11-month warranty inspection near the end of the builder’s first-year warranty so issues get fixed on the builder’s dime.
An inspection is not an appraisal
People mix these up. An inspection tells you about the home’s condition; an appraisal tells the lender what it’s worth. They’re separate, done by different people, for different reasons. If you’re using a VA loan, the VA appraisal has its own minimum property requirements on top of — not instead of — your inspection.
What to do with the results
Almost every inspection turns up something — the goal isn’t a perfect report, it’s an informed decision. Within the due diligence period we can ask the seller to repair items, ask for a price reduction or closing-cost credit, or, if something major surfaces, terminate and get your earnest money back. I’ll help you sort the cosmetic from the serious and decide what’s actually worth pushing on.
This is general information about the home inspection process, not a substitute for a professional inspection or for legal advice. Inspection scope, costs, and findings vary by home and by inspector. Frank Coxx is a licensed real estate broker, not a licensed home inspector.
Questions about inspecting a specific home?
Tell me about the property and I'll point you to a good inspector and help you read the results — no pressure.