Sales were up when compared to July, but  home sales across Greater Houston were down for a 17th straight month in August on a year-to-year basis. Per Houston Association of Realtors, single family homes sales fell 3.8 percent year-over-year, the lowest decline since sales dropped 0.8 percent in May 2022.

Months of inventory climbed to 3.3, he greatest months supply since May 2020 when it also was 3.3 months. Days on Market stayed the same on a month-to-month basis, but increased from 32 to 42 days year-over-year.

Per HAR/MLS:

A Home Inspector Is Your Protector

An inspector helps you make sure a house isn’t hiding anything before you commit for the long haul. It is important to get a home inspection on new construction and homes that have been lived in.

A home inspector identifies any reasonably discoverable problems with the house (a leaky roof, faulty plumbing, etc.). Hiring an inspector is you doing your due diligence. To find a good one, it helps to understand what’s involved in the typical home inspection. 

Reviews of Seller’s Property Disclosures

Before an inspection, the home inspector will review the Seller’s Disclosure Notice.  The statement lists any defects the seller is aware of that could negatively affect the home’s value or integrity.

The Texas Seller’s Disclosure Notice outlines items in or on the property, the age of the roof, items that are not in working condition, items that have defects or malfunctions, current or previous conditions, equipment or systems needing repair, flood information and other valuable information regarding the home you are considering.

During the inspection, an inspector has three tasks:

1. Identify problems with the house that they can see
2. Suggest fixes
3. Prepare a written report, usually with photos, noting observed defects

This report is critical to you and your agent. It’s what you’ll use to request repairs from the seller.

What Home Inspector Won’t Check

Generally, inspectors examine houses for only problems that can be seen with the naked eye. They won’t tear down walls or use X-ray vision to find hidden faults.

Inspectors also won’t put themselves in danger. If a roof is too high or steep, for example, they won’t climb up to check for missing or damaged shingles. Instead, they’ll use binoculars to examine it.

They can’t predict the future, either. While an inspector can give you a rough idea of how many more years that roof will hold up, they can’t tell you exactly when it will need to be replaced. You can hire a roofing contractor to do an independent inspection.

Finally, home inspectors are often generalists. A basic inspection doesn’t routinely include a thorough evaluation of:

• Swimming pools
• Wells
• Septic systems
• Structural engineering work
• The ground beneath a home
• Fireplaces and chimneys

When it comes to wood-burning fireplaces, for instance, most inspectors will open and close dampers to make sure they’re working, check chimneys for obstructions like bird nests, and note if they believe there’s reason to pursue a more thorough safety inspection.

Inspections on specialized systems, as those listed above, should be inspected by professionals that commonly inspect and/or competently work with those systems.

Check Home Inspector Qualifications

Now you’re ready to connect with someone who’s a pro at doing all of the above. Here’s where — once again — your real estate agent has your back. They can recommend reputable home inspectors to you.

In addition to getting recommendations, you can look for professional inspectors on the Texas Real Estate Commission website.  You can also search for inspectors by state at InterNACHI.

Ask Interview Questions

You’ll want to interview inspectors before deciding whom to hire. During each chat, ask questions such as:

• Are you licensed or certified? Inspector certifications vary, based on where you live. Texas requires inspectors to be licensed. You can verify licensing on the Texas Real Estate Commission website.
• How long have you been in the business? Look for someone with at least five years of experience — it indicates more homes inspected.
• How much do you charge? Home inspection cost varies based on location and the size of your house, as well as market conditions, demand, and supply.
• What do you check, exactly? Know what you’re getting for your money.
• What don’t you check, specifically? Some home inspectors are more thorough than others.
• How soon after the inspection will I receive my report? Home inspection contingencies require you to complete the inspection within a certain period of time after the offer is accepted. In Texas it is called the Termination Option Period. A good home inspector will provide you with the report within 24 hours after the inspection.
• May I see a sample report? This will help you gauge how detailed the inspector is and how they explain problems. A sample of the Texas report can be found here.

Get Ready to Negotiate

Most home repairs, however, are negotiable. Prepare to pick your battles: Minor issues, like a cracked switchplate or loose kitchen faucet are easy and cheap to fix on your own. You don’t want to start nickel and diming the seller. 

If the house has major issues, your agent can submit a formal request for repairs that includes a copy of the inspection report. Repair requests should be as specific as possible. For instance, instead of saying “repair broken windows,” a request should say “replace broken window glass in master bathroom.”

• If the seller agrees to make all of your repair requests: They must provide you with invoices from a licensed contractor stating the repairs were made. 
• If the seller responds to your repair requests with a counteroffer: They will state which repairs (or credits at closing) they are willing to make. The ball is in your court to either agree, counter the seller’s counteroffer, or terminate the transaction.

At the end of the day, remember to check in with yourself to see how you’re feeling about all this. Be realistic about how much repair work you’d be taking on. At this point in the sale, there’s a lot of pressure from all parties to move into the close. But if you don’t feel comfortable, speak up.

The most important things to remember during the home inspection? Trust your inspector and your gut, and lean on your agent — they likely have a lot of experience to support your decision-making.

As a side note, Leslie Lerner Properties representatives are always involved in assisting clients during the inspection process. They engage with the inspectors, thoroughly walk through the report with clients and negotiate all requests. During the final walk-through, they help clients double check all required repairs have been completed, receipts produced and warranties received.