Definition of "Home Inspection"

Sherry Bryant real estate agent

Written by

Sherry Bryantelite badge icon

Magnolia Real Estate

The basic home inspection definition is well-known for everyone, right?

However, when it comes to real estate, the term “inspection” can serve a bunch of purposes – but the basic meaning is always the same: to analyze something with a purpose of approving or disapproving it.

Home inspection is the name of an on-site examination of a structure and its materials to ensure all safety measures are met, and that the dwelling in question is in a satisfactory condition. Often a real estate purchase contract will be contingent on a positive site inspection. A valid home inspection can only be performed by a professional home inspector.

In property or liability insurance, the home inspection is a right retained by the company to make the inspection in the insured premises as well as its operations in order to detect inherent structural defects and other hidden hazards that could activate the claim. They do it to calculate the risk of damage to the insured and determine the principal of its policy.


But an inspection can also be performed to help reduce loss frequency and severity through recommended safety engineering loss prevention and reduction procedures. In workers compensation insurance, for instance, the insurance company must make inspections to the company's payroll record since premiums are based on the business's gross payroll. In life insurance, the company may obtain verification of statements by an applicant and other information to determine its ensured value and more.

 

Real Estate Tips:

 A home inspection is one of the first steps when you decide to sell your house. Do not overlook it, otherwise, it can cost you a deal later on! Have the home inspection done as soon as you can!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

A Building code – also referred to as building control or building regulations – is a set of rules by which a construction project needs to abide. Building codes are ...

Tenancy that may be terminated by one party- the tenant or the landlord- at any time. The agreement may be in writing or oral. For example, Jack has an oral agreement to use Christine's ...

A strong piece of lumber at least two-by-four. It is used for studs and beams to hold a building or structure up. The structure is in effect, attached to, or built onto the structural ...

Selling lots of land for such reasons as building structure on them including homes, office buildings, and shopping centers. ...

Invests in rental property but does not manage that property. ...

The meaning of a guarantee covers a legal and financially-binding agreement signed between three parties involved in real estate or financial transactions. In this document, typically ...

Hollow building block whose dimensions are 8 x 8 x 16. Concrete blocks are widely used in the construction of foundations and outer walls. They provide strength and durability. ...

Fee charged by a public registry for the administrative costs of recording an instrument. For example, a municipal registry charges $30 to record a property mortgage. ...

Arrangement the insured and insurer share on a proportional payment for a loss. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions