What a Home Inspector Wants You to Know Before You Buy

By Joshua Holt

Meet Joshua, a licensed real estate professional and accomplished broker. As the forward-thinking leader of the Holt Real Estate Team, he has forged a strategic alliance with Keller Williams and PLACE to deliver on Our Promise.

Should you skip the home inspection to make your offer more competitive? It’s one of the most common questions we get from buyers right now, so we asked someone who sees the inside of homes every single day to help answer it.

We sat down with Kyle Jensen from HomeStart Inspections, one of our recommended home inspectors here in the South Central Wisconsin area, to talk about why inspections matter, what buyers miss, and what to do even if you end up waiving one.

A home inspector’s job is to find what you can’t see. When you walk through a home, it might look great. Fresh paint, clean floors, everything in its place. But Kyle and his team go deeper than that first impression.

Their goal is to find the hidden issues that aren’t obvious to you but could end up being expensive. Things behind walls, under the surface, in the crawl space, on the roof. The stuff that looks fine until it isn’t.

Not all inspectors are created equal. Getting a home inspector license in Wisconsin is a 40-hour class and an exam. That’s it. So the range in quality is wide. Some inspectors are brand-new and have minimal training. Others have done thousands of inspections and know exactly what to look for.

You want someone who does this full-time, not someone doing it for beer money on the weekends. Check their Google reviews, ask your Realtor for a recommendation, and make sure you’re getting someone experienced.

The report matters just as much as the inspection. One of the things that sets a good inspector apart is the quality of their report and how easy it is to use after the fact. Kyle’s team uses digital software that’s optimized for your phone or desktop, not a clunky PDF you have to scroll through. You can export findings and send them directly to contractors, and they offer a pay-at-close option so you don’t have to pay upfront.

The report isn’t just a list of problems. It’s a tool that helps you take the next steps.

Red flags versus normal wear and tear. Every home is going to have issues. Kyle tells buyers that upfront, before the inspection even starts. The key is understanding which issues are expected and which ones are serious.

His team walks you through the findings, whether you’re there in person or on a call afterward, and helps you understand what’s routine, what’s concerning, and the recommended next steps. Safety items especially get flagged hard.

Yes, even new construction needs an inspection. This is one of the biggest misconceptions buyers have. Just because a home is brand new doesn’t mean everything was done right. Kyle says his team finds significant problems on new builds, especially on exteriors like siding and finishes.

And here’s the thing: most new builds come with a one-year home warranty. So the inspection becomes a punch list for the builder to address before that warranty expires. You’re paying for the inspection either way, whether it’s upfront or in repair costs later.

What if you waive the inspection? In a competitive market, some buyers waive inspections to strengthen their offer. Kyle is realistic about that. It happens, and sometimes it’s part of putting together the most competitive offer you can. But waiving the inspection at the front end doesn’t mean you can’t get one after you close. Kyle’s team does post-close inspections, so you still walk away with a full picture of the home and a clear list of what to tackle before you settle in.

One thing Kyle said that stuck with us: his team almost always finds at least what the inspection costs in repair work within the first 30 minutes. The inspection pays for itself.

If you’re thinking about buying a home in South Central Wisconsin and want to make sure you’re protected, reach out to us at (608) 345-6594 or email us at info@holtrealestateteam.com. You can also visit holtrealestateteam.com for more information.

And if you need an inspection, you can reach Kyle Jensen and his team at HomeStart Inspections at 608-609-0369 or schedule online at homestart.pro.