10/28/2026
😭”WE CANT SELL… OUR HOUSE WILL NEVER PASS INSPECTION.”
I hear this ALL the time from homeowners who have thought about selling and I’m certain there so many more homeowners I haven’t ran across yet who think they’re “stuck” in a home they would like to move away from.
And my response?
Well… good news. Your house doesn’t have to study for the test. 😂
There’s a BIG misunderstanding in real estate about home inspections vs. appraisal/lender requirements, so let’s clear this one up.
🔍 FIRST — THE HOME INSPECTION
A general home inspection is typically something the BUYER chooses to have done for their own protection.
It looks at things like the roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, foundation, appliances, safety concerns, maintenance items and approximately 7,432 other things an inspector can find. 😂
But here’s the important part:
👉 A normal home inspection isn’t really PASS or FAIL.
The inspector identifies what they see and provides a report. From there, the buyer makes decisions based on the condition of the property and the terms of the purchase agreement.
And in most transactions, the lender does NOT require the buyer to have a general home inspection.
So when a homeowner tells me:
“Tyler, this house will NEVER pass inspection.”
My first thought is usually:
Who told you it had to? 🤷♂️
🏦 NOW… THE APPRAISAL & LENDER REQUIREMENTS
This is where people often get the two confused.
An appraisal is primarily performed for the lender to determine the property’s value. Depending on the type of financing, the property may ALSO have to meet certain minimum property requirements.
FHA, VA and USDA financing can have specific property requirements.
That might mean certain conditions have to be corrected before the lender will approve the property for that particular loan.
But that is NOT the same thing as your buyer’s general home inspection.
And here’s another important piece:
🚨 NOT ALL FINANCING HAS THE SAME PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS.
Different loan programs have different standards, and some financing may have significantly fewer property-condition requirements than others.
That’s where a little thing called STRATEGY comes into play. 😉
A good, proactive real estate agent — cough, cough 😏 — should understand what different loan programs are likely to look for and be able to walk through a property BEFORE it ever hits the market.
See peeling paint?
Loose handrail?
Broken window?
Exposed wiring?
Something else that could create an issue with a particular financing program?
Let’s identify it BEFORE the appraiser does.
And if the seller doesn’t want to make certain repairs?
That’s information we can use when deciding how to position and market the property and what buyer/financing pool makes the most sense.
You don’t necessarily have to make an older house look brand new just to sell it.
Sometimes we fix something.
Sometimes we price accordingly.
Sometimes we target a different buyer pool.
Sometimes we structure the deal differently.
That’s real estate.
The goal isn’t to pretend problems don’t exist. The goal is to identify them early and build a strategy around them.
So PLEASE don’t sit in a house you want to sell for another five years because Uncle Bob walked through the kitchen, kicked a cabinet and announced:
“Yep. This thing will never pass inspection.” 😂
Call me anytime to discuss your options!
📞 (260)729-2280
There are no secrets in real estate, only strategies😉
