Learning Library · Buying 101 · lesson 5
Inspections: your look under the hood
6 min read
What Pennsylvania's inspection contingency really lets you do, what inspectors find, and how repair negotiations work.
The window
The standard Pennsylvania agreement gives you a set number of days — commonly ten, but it's negotiated — to complete every inspection you elected: general home, wood-destroying insects, radon, sewer lateral, and more. The clock starts at contract execution and it does not pause for scheduling difficulties, so book inspectors the day your offer is accepted.
What you can do with the results
Within the contingency window you generally have three moves: accept the property as it is, terminate and receive your deposit back, or present a written proposal asking the seller to repair, credit, or reduce price. The seller can agree, counter, or refuse — and if you can't reach terms, your termination right is the leverage behind every request.
Negotiate the report like a professional: lead with health, safety, and expensive systems (roof, structure, electrical, sewer, water intrusion). A list of forty cosmetic items weakens the five that matter.
Old housing stock is not a defect
Much of the housing around Philadelphia and Montgomery County predates 1950 — knob-and-tube remnants, terracotta sewer laterals, and damp stone basements are findings, not automatically deal-breakers. The question is never "is this house perfect," it's "do I understand what I'm buying and is the price right for it."
Quick answers
Who pays for inspections?
The buyer, at the time of inspection — typically a few hundred dollars per inspection type. It's the best money in the entire transaction.
What about seller disclosures?
Pennsylvania law requires most sellers to complete a written property disclosure covering known material defects. Read it before you offer — and remember it reflects what the seller knows, which is not the same as what an inspector finds.
Educational content only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Program details, rates, and tax figures change; verify current specifics before relying on them. The Woods Team · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® · Equal Housing Opportunity.