Most buyers think a home inspection checks everything. It doesn’t. A standard inspection looks at the big stuff, like the roof, walls, plumbing, and electrical systems. But some important checks are left out unless you ask for them.
One big one is the sewer line. A standard inspection will not send a camera down your sewer pipe. If that pipe is broken or blocked, you might not find out until after you move in, and the fix can cost thousands of dollars. Another one is a termite check, sometimes called a WDO inspection. Georgia has plenty of termites, so this one is worth the extra cost.
Other things that often get missed are pools, wells, septic tanks, and mold testing. None of these are automatically included, even though they can be expensive problems. The fix is simple: ask your inspector what is and isn’t covered before the inspection day, so there are no surprises later.
I walk through real inspection reports and what to look for on my YouTube channel, @AthensRealEstatePro. If you’re about to buy a home in Athens, it’s worth five minutes to watch before your own inspection.