DictionaryThe buying process

Home inspection: what it means

A home inspection is a review of the property's physical condition by an inspector before you finish buying: roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, signs of moisture or pests. It is often part of the home buying process and you pay for it, not the lender; unlike the appraisal, it does not say what the home is worth but what problems it has.

In Spanish it is

Inspección de la casa

Also written as: inspection · inspection contingency

A man tours his new home with a housing specialist.

Verified on October 16, 2026

1 official source

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The full explanation

With the report you can ask for repairs, negotiate the price or walk away if your contract includes an inspection contingency. Some assistance programs require one.

An example

The inspector found the water heater is at the end of its life. Report in hand, Luis asks the seller to replace it before closing.

You will see it in…

The inspection contingency in your purchase contract
Some assistance programs' requirements (“satisfactory home inspection”)
The inspector's report, with photos and recommendations

Words that go with it

You will rarely see this word alone. These are the ones that show up with it on the same papers.

More guides that use “home inspection”

Still confused by a paper?

A HUD-approved housing counselor can walk you through it. Agencies usually charge little or nothing, many work in Spanish, and they do not sell you anything.

What a housing counselor does See free help

Official sources

We sum up what these official sources say, in plain words. We add no rules they do not state; when a rule changes, the definition and its date change.

1. CFPB · Mortgages key terms: home inspection (external site) · in English · Verified on October 16, 2026