Home Inspection Red Flags for Buyers

After months of hunting, touring and haggling, you've finally found your perfect house. Like most buyers, you'll have it inspected. The home inspection is your chance to find out what's really going on under the hood before you commit to the purchase. Over the course of a few hours, the home inspector will probe every nook and cranny of the property's exterior and interior, as well as review critical home systems.

"The intention during that inspection is to educate the buyer on the condition of the home that they're about to purchase," says Charles Furlough, vice president of Pillar to Post, a professional home inspection company serving the U.S. and Canada. "The bottom line is that you need to know what you're buying."

Most home purchase contracts include an inspection contingency, which gives the buyer the right to back out of the deal if the inspection uncovers major flaws. Alternatively, the buyer can ask the seller to take care of necessary repairs. If your inspection turns up any of the following conditions, it's time to return to the negotiating table.