Once you've found your new home, hire a licensed professional home inspector to make sure it's in tip-top shape. Most home inspections take place after you've negotiated a purchase contract (an offer), but in some situations, you should consider having the home inspected before you draft a real estate contract. If the home has been vacant, in foreclosure or has some visible material defects, such as cracks in the foundation, get the property inspected before drafting the contract. What you discover in a precontract inspection on a distressed property may change your mind on what you're willing to pay for the home.

All real estate contracts contain a contingency clause allowing the buyer to do a property inspection within five to 10 business days after written acceptance. Do not waive this contingency; it gives you the opportunity to get a home's true condition from the sharp eye of an experienced professional who has inspected hundreds of homes.

What's inspected?

A home inspection can take anywhere from two to several hours depending on the size and age of the home. All Texas Home Inspectors must be licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission and follow a minimum Standards of Practice. It takes an average of three to four hours to inspect a house of approximately two thousand square feet (less than ten years old). The inspector will closely look at all the systems and structural elements of your new home.

An inspector will:

• -Check the home's exterior, including roof, chimney, porch, deck, and soil gradation away from the property
• -Look for structural cracks in foundation walls and floor problems
• -Check water pressure, plumbing for leaks and proper venting of waste lines
• -Test wiring, electrical outlets and circuit-breaker switches or fuses, and make sure that the electrical system is adequate for the home's power needs
• -Run all major built-in appliances in the kitchen
• -Check the furnace and air conditioning under operation 
• -Check all cabinets, doors, windows and screens
• -Make sure the fireplace or wood-burning stove is clean and in good working order
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  The inspector will give you a final report of all structural elements, mechanical systems and rooms, and will list all the defects he discovers.

What lies beneath

Keep in mind that the inspector can't check out things they can't see, like the inside of walls or underneath floors. If he thinks that there's a problem inside a wall, such as mold, asbestos or radon, he will add it to the report and suggest that you hire a specialized inspector who is familiar with these problems. Home inspectors are not allowed to perform destructive testing or damage a home they are inspecting.

Another benefit of a home inspection is that it lets you know the locations of the main gas valve, access panels to plumbing and tubs, water valves and electrical circuit-breaker switches or fuses. While the inspector will point out maintenance and repair problems that may need immediate attention, The Home Inspector should never solicit contracting work. This should be a red flag to you and is something that good inspectors don't do.