This guide has been created to educate consumers looking to fulfill the increasing demand for home inspections across the country; especially as real estate values fluctuate, disclosure requirements intensify, home buyers become more cautious, and litigation against sellers and Realtors climb to unprecedented levels.

As recently as 1980, it was "caveat emptor" or "buyer beware" where fewer than one in ten homes sold were inspected. Today that amount is still only four times greater, but growing rapidly. In past decades, when the services of professional home inspectors were virtually nonexistent, buyers were forced to gamble on hidden problems, unexpected repair costs, and sometimes major disasters. Today's smart consumer demands better information.

A growing number of states and local governments now require full disclosure of a home's condition before a property is sold, and more and more real estate companies include inspection clauses in their purchase agreements. Nevertheless, according to the Federal Trade Commission, after moving into their houses, 42% of home buyers face unexpected repairs costing an average of $500, and more than one in nine are forced to spend over $ 1,000 for repairs.

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