Do Your Due Diligence: What Every Upper-Bracket Buyer and Seller Should Know About Home Inspections

Beautiful homes deserve careful evaluation. Whether you’re investing in a historic Minneapolis home or selling your Downtown condominium, inspections provide the clarity needed to make informed decisions. 

Chad Larsen and Barry Berg don’t view inspections as a tool to identify flaws with a property. They believe inspections yield invaluable findings that help you understand a home beyond what meets the eye. 

Sellers - Don’t Skip It!

Contrary to popular belief, inspections aren’t just beneficial for buyers. 

Chad and Barry encourage clients to complete certain property specific inspections prior to listing to minimize unexpected surprises down the road. 

“If I’m helping a client list their home that was built in the last 30-40 years with a stucco exterior, I will likely recommend they test the exterior to ensure there aren’t any moisture issues,” explains Barry. “I tend to recommend doing such a test up front so that we can provide a clean bill of health or let prospective buyers know there’s a minor issue ahead of time to reduce time during the inspection period.

Chad adds, “Knowing the status of any potential issues allows us to make strategic adjustments and strengthen buyer confidence.”

Ultimately, a $200 repair now can save sellers weeks of back and forth during the closing process whether an issue arises during the inspection or not.  

Buyers - Inspections Matter

When you’re purchasing a home, it’s never going to be “perfect.” Whether it’s a cosmetic change like paint color or something that arises during an inspection, there will always be an item on your to-do list. 

The point of an inspection isn’t to take the wind out of your sails – it’s to answer questions like “Are there any maintenance issues I can’t see?”, “Has this home been well maintained over the years?”,  and “What should I budget over the next 5-10 years for repairs?”

Most of the time, any imperfections that come to light during an inspection aren’t going to send you spinning. Instead, inspections uncover the history and condition of a property so that you can plan accordingly and make informed decisions. 

Inspections for the Upper-Bracket

A general home inspection covers things like the structure, foundation, electrical work, plumbing, visible moisture, and more. 

“This is the base-level inspection that we encourage almost every client to get,” says Chad.

However, upper-bracket homes warrant a closer look – a roof inspection, masonry and chimney inspection, moisture evaluation, Radon testing, sewer scope, or others. 

“These specialized services allow us to know a property beyond what meets the eye,” says Barry. “For example, a sewer scope is an excellent tool to identify potential issues in the sewer line. Spending several hundred dollars on one of these assessments can inform your choices down the line.”

Chad adds, “Many of our clients are interested in purchasing an older home, so certain environmental testing can be extremely helpful in identifying issues. Radon testing is always wise. And depending on the findings of the general inspection other environmental tests like mold, asbestos, and lead paint may be wise to consider.”

Your Inspection Experts

Inspections can feel like another chore to add to your moving list, but it brings peace of mind.

“We can provide recommendations for vetted inspectors, and we work with our clients afterwards to interpret the findings, prioritize next steps, and ultimately negotiate from a position of knowledge rather than surprise,” says Chad. 

“The goal of an inspection isn't to create a punch list,” says Barry. “It's to understand the home.”

Whether you’re buying or selling, the insights inspections yield are one of the most valuable investments you can make. They provide clarity and create opportunities for thoughtful planning that will help you move forward with confidence.