Your inspection report just arrived and it is 60 pages long with photos of everything that is wrong with the home you want to buy. Do not panic. A thorough report is a good thing — it means your inspector did the job. Here is how to read it, what to focus on, and how to use it.
Start with the Summary
Every Inspector Pros report includes a summary section at the top. This lists only the items that rise to the level of recommended action — repairs, further evaluation by a specialist, or safety concerns. The summary is what your agent needs to draft a repair request. Start there before reading the full report so you have context for everything that follows. Curious what our reports look like? View sample inspection reports here.
Understand the Severity Levels
Inspection reports typically categorize findings by severity. Safety hazards are items that pose an immediate risk to occupants — exposed wiring, carbon monoxide risks, structural instability. These are non-negotiable. Major defects are items that affect the function or structural integrity of the home — a failing HVAC system, active roof leak, or foundation movement. These typically warrant either repair or a price adjustment. Maintenance items are things that are worn, aging, or in need of upkeep but are not urgent — dirty gutters, aging caulk, worn weatherstripping. These are informational and generally not worth negotiating over.
What Is Worth Negotiating
Not every item in a report is negotiable — nor should it be. Sellers will push back hard if your repair request list includes every minor maintenance item in a 40-year-old home. Focus your negotiations on: safety hazards regardless of cost, major systems that are at or near end of life (HVAC, water heater, roof), structural issues, and anything that will cost more than $500 to correct. A targeted list of legitimate issues is far more effective than a list of 30 items that includes burnt-out light bulbs. If you see foundation concerns in the report, a foundation inspection and engineer evaluation is a smart follow-up before you negotiate.
The Repair Request Report
Inspector Pros reports are generated in software that lets you — or your agent — create a Repair Request Report directly from the inspection findings. You select the items you want to include, and the software pulls in the inspector's photos, descriptions, and notes automatically. The output is a clean PDF you can attach directly to your repair addendum. No copying and pasting, no missed items.
When to Walk Away
Most inspection findings are fixable. But occasionally an inspection reveals issues significant enough that walking away makes sense — active foundation movement without a documented repair history, major structural damage, evidence of water intrusion throughout the structure, or a roof replacement combined with aging HVAC and plumbing in a home priced at top of market. Your inspection report gives you the information to make that call. That is exactly what it is for.
What to Do with the Report After Closing
Keep your report. It is a documented record of the condition of the home on the day you purchased it. If you sell the home in the future, it shows buyers you bought transparently. The maintenance items flagged in the report are your home maintenance checklist for the first year. If you are thinking ahead to selling, a pre-listing inspection can help you get ahead of issues before buyers find them.
Inspector Pros delivers same-day digital reports with photos, video, and a built-in Repair Request Report tool. If you have questions about anything in your report, call us at (915) 209-2332 — we answer our phones.