🛠 Why Skipping a Home Inspection in Northern Colorado Springs Is a Big Mistake

Local Insight for Buyers (and Sellers) in 80921, 80908, and 80132

In today’s market, buyers want to move quickly—and write strong offers. But waiving your inspection rights isn’t the way to get there. While waiving inspection contingencies may have become more common during the COVID-era buying frenzy, things have normalized in 80921, 80908, and 80132.

Even when buyers choose to waive the contingency, most still complete the inspection itself—and for good reason.

🔍 Why Inspections Still Matter in Our Area

The truth is, even homes that look immaculate can hide expensive issues, especially in our market where properties face unique risks due to our climate, geography, and elevation.

Here are some of the most common issues our local buyers discover during inspections:

• Radon mitigation – Radon is a naturally occurring gas here and the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Systems cost $1.5K–$5K, depending on the home size and condition.

• Roof damage – Thanks to hail and wind storms, roof repairs and full replacements are common.

• Water heaters – These often show signs of age or fail inspection. Replacement costs can range from $2K–$5K.

• Foundation movement – Expansive soil like bentonite is prevalent in the region. Cracks or settlement concerns aren’t rare—especially in older homes or neighborhoods like Rockrimmon (80919) where mining history adds complexity.

💬 How We Advise Our Buyers

In competitive situations, we never advise waiving the inspection itself. Instead, we encourage buyers to narrow the contingency to focus on:

• Health hazards

• Structural integrity

• Major infrastructure (plumbing, electrical, HVAC)

That keeps your offer strong while still giving you essential protection. After all, buying a home is likely your biggest financial investment—this is not the place to take shortcuts.

🧰 For Sellers: Get Ahead of the Inspection Curve

We advise all sellers—especially those with older homes or known issues—to anticipate inspection requests. Whether that means:

✅ Getting a pre-listing inspection
✅ Offering a repair credit
✅ Or proactively correcting known defects

Buyers will either request that you fix the problem—or reduce their offer by the estimated repair cost plus a buffer for effort and uncertainty. Getting ahead of it = smoother deal.

We also recommend sellers offer a home warranty for aging appliances, HVAC systems, and water heaters. It’s a small investment with a strong ROI—especially in a balanced market like we’re currently seeing.

🧪 Extra Inspections Are the Norm in El Paso County

We frequently guide buyers through add-ons like:

• Radon tests

• Sewer scopes

• Well water quality tests

• Septic system certification (required by El Paso County Public Health for transfers)

There’s rarely confusion over what’s covered in a general home inspection—but buyers often underestimate repair costs. That’s where our team provides real value: negotiating in your interest and managing expectations.

📰 What the Experts Are Saying Nationwide

To complement our local insight, here’s what Keeping Current Matters has to say about the importance of home inspections on a national level:

Why You Don't Want To Skip Your Home Inspection

When you finally find the home you want to buy, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement. You’ve toured the place, imagined your furniture in it, maybe even pictured your morning coffee on the porch. The last thing you want is to slow down the process with more steps or lose out to another buyer’s offer because they skipped their inspection.

But here’s the thing. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. And no matter how perfect that house seems, skipping a home inspection is a risk that could cost you a lot more than just time.

What Exactly Is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection gives you a detailed look at the home’s condition, usually after your offer’s accepted but before closing. While what’s covered varies by state, an inspector usually goes over the home’s major systems and structure, including things like the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and more.

Why an Inspection Is Worth It

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the biggest benefits of getting an inspection.

• Helps you avoid unpleasant surprises. A house might seem move-in ready, but could have issues you didn’t see during your walkthrough. Knowing about these before closing day is important. That way, you have a better idea of what work may need to be done to the home.
• Gives you negotiating power. Depending on what the inspection turns up, you may want to re-negotiate with the seller. For that, lean on your agent. With their help, you can ask the seller to handle repairs before closing day or provide a credit so you can take care of them yourself.
• Offers you peace of mind. Buying a home is emotional, especially if you’ve been searching for a while. An inspection helps take some of the uncertainty off your plate, so you can move forward with confidence.

A few hundred dollars upfront for the home inspection could save you thousands in surprise repairs later. As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says:

“Failure to obtain a home inspection could potentially cost you a great deal of money and hassles in the long run.”  

Why You Don’t Want To Waive Your Inspection

According to the latest data from NAR, nearly 1 in 4 buyers are waiving (or removing) the inspection contingency when they buy a home. And with spring being peak homebuying season and buyer activity already heating up, you may be thinking about doing that yourself. As Realtor.com points out:

“ . . . if you're in a hot real estate market where homes are getting multiple offers, there might be a temptation to skip an inspection when you really want the house. However, waiving a home inspection comes with sizable risks.”

But skipping the inspection is a gamble that doesn’t necessarily pay off. Just remember, there are other ways to make your offer attractive to sellers, like being flexible with the closing date. Before making an offer, talk to your agent about other ways to get a seller’s attention without sacrificing your peace of mind.

Bottom Line

Even if skipping an inspection sounds like a way to make your offer more competitive or speed things up, it’s risky. It’s not just extra time and documentation, it’s a smart step that protects your wallet, your investment, and your future.

If you could ask a home inspector one question before buying, what would it be? Let me know and I’ll make sure it’s the first thing we bring up.