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Hole 14 · Back Nine — Execute

Inspection

A home inspection is your last real chance to understand what you are buying before you own it. This hole covers what a standard inspection checks, what a specialist inspection adds, and the real tradeoffs of waiving the inspection contingency in a competitive market.

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Written by Isaac Ortiz · Real Estate Broker · Compass | NWMLS #146754

What the inspection contingency actually protects

The inspection contingency makes your offer conditional on what a professional inspection finds. It typically gives you about ten days to inspect the home, review the report, and choose: proceed as-is, negotiate repairs or a credit, or terminate with your earnest money returned. That termination right — no questions asked — is the contingency's core protection.

  • The standard inspection window is about ten days from mutual acceptance.
  • Attend the inspection in person — a live walkthrough surfaces more than a written report alone.
  • You can terminate during the window without proving the inspection found anything specific.

What a standard inspection covers — and what a specialist adds

A standard inspection checks roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and structure over a few hours. In the Pacific Northwest, inspectors focus on moisture: roof, gutters, crawl space, and drainage, since the region's wet season reveals problems a summer showing never would. A sewer scope is a common add-on for older homes, and pre-1980 houses may need an asbestos check.

  • Roof, gutters, crawl space, and drainage: the primary moisture-entry points inspectors check in PNW homes.
  • Sewer scope (add-on): recommended for homes built before 1970 — sewer lines degrade over time.
  • Pre-1980 homes may contain asbestos in insulation, floor tile, or pipe wrap — inspectors flag it for testing.

Waiving the inspection contingency: the real trade-offs

In a competitive market, sellers often favor offers without an inspection contingency. Waiving it means you own whatever the home reveals after closing, with no seller recourse. A middle path some buyers use is a pre-offer inspection — paying for an inspector before you submit, so you compete without a contingency but still have information, not a blind bet.

  • A full waiver means you have no recourse against the seller for post-closing discoveries.
  • A pre-offer inspection ($400-$600 out of pocket) lets you submit contingency-free with real findings in hand.
  • Waiving should be a deliberate decision — not a reflexive move to win a bidding war.

Read the seller disclosure alongside your inspection

Washington law (the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 64.06) requires sellers to complete a disclosure statement — the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) Form 17 — sharing what they actually know about the property's condition — 'I don't know' is a legally acceptable answer. Treat it as a map for your inspector, not a clean bill of health: any 'yes' on structural, water, or environmental questions deserves a direct follow-up before you remove your contingency.

  • The disclosure form covers structure, systems (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), and environmental conditions like moisture and asbestos.
  • 'I don't know' answers deserve extra inspector attention, especially on estate sales or flips.
  • Buyers get a separate three-business-day right to rescind after receiving the disclosure statement.

Mastery check

Prove it out before you move on.

Caddie

Before you play through — quick read of the green:

4 quick questions. Get all but one right and this hole is marked played. Unlimited retries — there's no penalty for missing one.

Question 1 of 4

What are your three options at the end of the inspection contingency window?

Question 2 of 4

What does a sewer scope check for, and for which homes is it especially recommended?

Question 3 of 4

What's the real trade-off of waiving the inspection contingency outright?

Question 4 of 4

How should you use the seller's disclosure statement (Form 17)?

Still stuck? Ask the Caddie.

Hole 13: NegotiationHole 15: Appraisal & Financing Contingencies