nj home inspections: What Happens After a Home Inspection in New Jersey?
- 10/04/26 02:47 PM
A home inspection is an important part of buying a home, but the inspection itself is only one part of the process. Once the inspection is completed, buyers are often left with a much bigger question: What happens next? In New Jersey, the period following the home inspection can move quickly. Understanding the purpose of the inspection report—and what to do with the information it contains—can help buyers use their inspection contingency wisely and make informed decisions about the property. Start by Understanding the Purpose of the Home InspectionA home inspection is primarily an information-gathering process. The home inspector examines the visible and accessible components of … (3 comments)
A home inspector does more than simply look at the systems in a home. We operate many of them using their normal controls to see how they are functioning at the time of the inspection. If the electricity, water, gas, oil, or propane is off, there may be a lot of things we simply cannot test.
For the most complete inspection possible, the utilities should be on and the home should be in normal … (5 comments)
Sometimes a floor has a noticeable slope. Other times, it feels springy or moves slightly underfoot. In certain areas, the flooring may feel soft or spongy.
These conditions can have very different explanations. Some are relatively common in older homes, while others may indicate deterioration, inadequate support, or structural movement that deserves closer attention.
The important question isn't simply whether a floor is perfectly level. It's understanding why the floor is behaving the way it is and whether … (10 comments)
nj home inspections: How Old Is Too Old for a Home’s Major Systems?
- 09/06/26 04:38 AM
By John Martino, Master New Jersey Home Inspector LookSmart Home Inspections One of the questions I hear regularly during a home inspection is, “How much longer do you think this has?” It might be a roof, furnace, boiler, central air-conditioning system, or water heater. The equipment may be working perfectly well on the day of the inspection, but the buyer wants to know what really matters: Am I likely to be replacing this shortly after I buy the house? After more than 24 years inspecting homes throughout New Jersey, I’ve learned that age matters, but perhaps not in the way many home buyers think it … (9 comments)
nj home inspections: I Got My Home Inspection Report. Now What?
- 08/29/26 01:52 PM
Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make. By the time you receive your home inspection report, you’ve probably spent weeks looking at houses, speaking with Realtors, meeting with lenders, reviewing contracts, and wondering whether you’ve finally found the right home.
When the inspection is complete, many buyers feel a sense of relief because they believe the difficult part is over. In my experience, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The home inspection is not the finish line. In many ways, it’s the beginning of the most important stage of the buying process. … (0 comments)
nj home inspections: What Problems Should Really Concern You During a NJ Home Inspection
- 08/15/26 06:07 AM
One of the questions buyers frequently ask me during a NJ home inspection is some version of, “How worried should I be about this?” It is a good question because almost every house is going to have problems. Some will cost very little to correct. Some are simply part of maintaining a home. Others deserve considerably more attention. The difficult part for a buyer is figuring out which is which.
When you are buying a home in New Jersey, particularly an older home, it is very easy to become overwhelmed by everything that may appear in a home inspection report. As … (4 comments)
nj home inspections: Signs a House Has Been Well Maintained Before You Buy It
- 08/05/26 10:43 AM
Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make. Naturally, buyers spend a great deal of time looking at the things they'll enjoy every day. They notice the updated kitchen, the remodeled bathrooms, the hardwood floors, the fresh paint, and whether they can picture themselves living there. Those are all important considerations because they're part of what makes a house feel like home.
What often doesn't receive the same amount of attention is another question that may be even more important.
Has this home actually been well maintained?
Those are two very different questions.
One … (3 comments)
nj home inspections: A NJ Home Inspector Explains the Clues That Give Confidence in a Home
- 08/05/26 06:45 AM
One of the questions buyers occasionally ask me during a home inspection is, "John, what makes you feel good about a house?" It's one of my favorite questions because the answer usually isn't what people expect. Most people assume I'm going to talk about an updated kitchen, remodeled bathrooms, or beautiful hardwood floors. Those things certainly make a home more enjoyable to live in, but they don't necessarily tell me very much about the condition of the house itself.
One of the things I enjoy most about working as a New Jersey home inspector is helping buyers see beyond what first … (1 comments)
nj home inspections: What Makes a House Expensive to Own? (It’s Not What Most Buyers Think)
- 07/25/26 12:22 PM
Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make. Naturally, buyers spend a great deal of time comparing purchase prices, monthly mortgage payments, school districts, commute times, and whether they like the kitchen, bathrooms, or backyard. Those are all important considerations. What often doesn't receive the same amount of attention is another question that may have just as much impact on your finances over the years ahead. What is this home actually going to cost me to own? Those are two very different questions. The purchase price is paid once. The cost of owning a home continues for as … (5 comments)
I've had buyers look at a roof covered with black streaks and immediately assume it needs to be replaced. Most of the time, that's simply not true. In fact, I've inspected plenty of roofs that looked terrible from the street because of black streaks, yet they still had years of service life remaining. I've also inspected roofs that looked almost new but had active leaks around a … (10 comments)
nj home inspections: Why Does My Home Inspector Spend So Much Time Outside?
- 06/28/26 11:51 AM
Why Do I Spend So Much Time Outside During a Home Inspection? The outside of the house usually tells me what I'm going to find inside. "John, why are we still outside?" Most buyers are looking at the front door. They're excited to see the kitchen, the finished basement, the primary bathroom, or the attic. They're picturing where the furniture will go or wondering if their family will enjoy living there. Meanwhile, I'm looking at something completely different. I'm looking at the grading around the home. I'm following the gutters and downspouts to see where the roof water is being discharged. I'm looking at the roof edges, the … (2 comments)
That may sound strange coming from a home inspector, but it's probably the most important thing houses have taught me.
One of the questions I hear most as a NJ home inspector is whether a house is "good" or "bad." People often expect NJ home inspections to provide a simple yes-or-no answer, but things are rarely that simple. Over the years, I've come to realize that houses are not nearly as fragile as people think, … (3 comments)
nj home inspections: NJ Home Inspector: The 15 Problems I Find During Almost Every Home Inspection
- 06/05/26 01:18 PM
People often ask me what I usually find during a home inspection. After performing more than 8,000 NJ home inspections since 2002, I have learned that houses are surprisingly predictable. As a NJ home inspector, I often find many of the same defects regardless of the age, size, style, or price of the home. That does not mean the house is bad. In fact, most of the homes I inspect are perfectly reasonable homes to purchase. The purpose of a home inspection is not to find a perfect house. The purpose is to understand the condition of the home and identify the issues that deserve attention. None … (2 comments)
nj home inspections: What a NJ Home Inspector Wishes Buyers Knew Before the Inspection
- 05/16/26 10:59 AM
Buying a house is exciting, but after performing NJ home inspections as a NJ home inspector for more than 25 years, I can tell you that many buyers walk into the inspection with unrealistic expectations. Some people expect the house to be perfect. Others become overwhelmed when they hear about defects or maintenance issues that are actually very common.
A home inspection is one of the best tools you have during the home buying process, but it helps a lot when buyers understand what the inspection is really about and what to expect before the inspection even begins.
These are the … (2 comments)
nj home inspections: A NJ Home Inspector Explains What We Find Under Homes
- 05/09/26 11:42 AM
Most people buying a house never go into the crawlspace. Honestly, many homeowners never go in there either. That is understandable. Crawlspaces are dark, dirty, cramped, and sometimes difficult to access. But after performing thousands of NJ home inspections over the last 25 plus years, I can tell you this: A crawlspace can tell you a lot about the condition of a house. Some crawlspaces are dry and clean. Others are disasters hiding underneath an otherwise nice looking home. I have found major structural problems, mold growth, standing water, termite damage, sewer leaks, unsafe wiring, and serious moisture conditions hidden under homes where the upstairs … (3 comments)
The roof may be older. The basement may show signs of moisture. The deck may need repairs. The electrical panel may need updating. The report is long, detailed, and full of comments.
Then many buyers ask the same question.
Should I walk away from this house after the inspection?
As a New Jersey home inspector, I can tell you this. Most homes have issues. The real question is not whether problems exist. The real question is … (4 comments)
nj home inspections: Everything That Can Go Wrong in a Basement in New Jersey
- 04/25/26 11:26 AM
If there is one area of a home that consistently gives people trouble in New Jersey, it is the basement. After more than 25 years performing NJ home inspections, I can tell you this is where I find a lot of the real issues. Some are obvious. Some are hidden. Some take years to show up.
A basement can look clean, dry, and completely finished, and still have underlying problems. That is what buyers need to understand. You are dealing with soil conditions, water, pressure, drainage, and air quality all in one space. When things are not right, problems develop.
This … (0 comments)
nj home inspections: Why Does My Basement Smell Musty Even When It Looks Finished?
- 04/18/26 04:53 AM
You walk into a basement and it looks good. Finished walls, maybe newer flooring, everything looks clean. Then you stop for a second and there is that smell. Not terrible, but it is there. That musty basement smell is not random. In most cases, it is a sign of a moisture condition in the basement. Basements are naturally prone to moistureBasements sit below grade. You have soil on all sides of the foundation and that soil holds water. Even if you are not seeing water come in, moisture can still move through concrete and block foundation walls. Concrete is not waterproof. It absorbs and … (6 comments)
nj home inspections: What an NJ Home Inspector Sees When a Home Looks Great but the Systems Are Failing
- 02/15/26 11:23 AM
I regularly inspect homes where the buyers are already in love before I even arrive. It is often a young couple buying their first home. They walk in and see a nice kitchen, fresh paint, new floors, updated bathrooms, and clean landscaping. The house shows very well. It feels move in ready. They start talking about where the furniture will go. Where the TV will be. How they will use the yard. They are already picturing themselves living there. From their point of view, everything looks great. Then I start the inspection. I go into the attic. I check the basement. I open the electrical panel. … (0 comments)
nj home inspections: Do NJ Home Inspectors Find Everything Wrong With a House
- 01/26/26 08:08 AM
Do home inspectors find everything wrong with a house.Will the inspection catch every problem.What if something breaks after closing. As an NJ home inspector, I understand why buyers ask this. Buying a house is expensive and stressful, and most buyers want reassurance that nothing major is being missed. The honest answer is no. A home inspection does not find everything wrong with a house. But that does not mean it is not valuable. It means it has limits, and those limits matter. Understanding what a NJ home inspection is designed to do, and what it is not designed to do, helps buyers use the … (1 comments)
A home inspection is an important part of buying a home, but the inspection itself is only one part of the process.
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