{"id":19775,"date":"2020-10-30T15:41:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T22:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=19775"},"modified":"2025-10-28T08:57:52","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:57:52","slug":"do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Sellers Get a Copy of the Inspection? Why a \u2018Need to Know\u2019 Basis Is Better"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cSellers almost always ask, \u2018Will I get a copy of the report?” and I always reply, \u2018That’s not my decision to make. My report is the property of my client,\u2019\u201d says Matt Steinhausen<\/a>, an independent home inspector since 1999 in Lincoln, Nebraska, who holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This response may irk you, but when it comes to the inspection<\/a>, what you know can hurt you as a seller. In many cases you\u2019d be better off not requesting the report at all. Before you demand to view it out of curiosity or the desire to control negotiations, hear what longtime inspectors and real estate experts have to say on the matter.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Prepare for a home inspection with a top-rated agent<\/h3>\n

HomeLight has analyzed over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agent is best for you based on your needs. It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best real estate agents, who will help you be ready for your home inspection.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n

\n Find Agent<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Whoever paid for the inspection gets the report<\/h2>\n

Before closing, 95% of buyers<\/a> will hire a home inspector<\/a> to visually examine a house for any issues that could impact its value, safety, or inhabitability. The buyer\u2019s agent usually provides a list of inspectors they recommend.
\nBut the inspection and all of its components, including the report, are part of a legal business relationship<\/a> between the buyer and the home inspector alone. As the seller, you\u2019re not a part of that legal business relationship, even though it\u2019s your house in the middle of it all. The bottom line is: If the buyer pays for the inspection, it\u2019s theirs to share or not share.<\/p>\n

This setup enables home inspectors<\/a> to provide an impartial, unbiased assessment of a home for their buyer clients. \u201cExcept for some extraordinary exceptions, I never share an inspection report with anyone other than my client and their representatives,\u201d Steinhausen explains.<\/p>\n

Sellers will only get a copy of the inspection report if they\u2019re paying for part of it (which can happen through shared closing costs).<\/p>\n

What about proof of defects?<\/b><\/h2>\n

During typical negotiations over the inspection, the buyer will request that the seller repair specific defects or offer a credit to remedy issues identified in the report. Common complaints may include an out-of-date electrical panel, damaged siding, or non-GFCI outlet. \u201cIn that case, I recommend to my clients that only the portion of the report describing the defect in question be shared with a seller,\u201d Steinhausen says.<\/p>\n

In fact, buyers have an obligation to provide sellers with evidence of any defects that an inspector discovers if those defects need to be repaired prior to closing<\/a>, or if they might affect the purchase price. According to Steinhausen: \u201cIn the age of electronic communication and cutting and pasting text digitally, it\u2019s easy to share pertinent portions of the inspection report without having to provide the entire document.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you want a full copy, you\u2019ll need to request it<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re set on seeing the full results of the inspection, your agent can ask the buyer\u2019s agent for a copy of the inspection report. The buyer\u2019s agent will need to consult with their client and obtain approval. \u201cThe only way we can get [the inspection report] is for the buyer to give the OK,\u201d says Joshua Hagan<\/a>, a top-selling real estate agent in Bella Vista, Arkansas. To be clear, it is within the buyer\u2019s right to refuse your request.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Saad Chaudhry \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Careful what you wish for<\/b><\/h2>\n

While you have every right to be curious and anxious to see that inspection report, it\u2019s not always advisable that you make that request.<\/p>\n

\u201cTypically, I will advise my seller clients to not<\/i> ask for the report,\u201d says Hagan. Here\u2019s why: If your contract with the buyer falls apart, you may be required to disclose any issues found in the report with future buyers. \u201cI feel it\u2019s in their best interest for the seller not to be exposed to that,\u201d Hagan says.<\/p>\n

In addition, sharing the inspection report with a seller or their agent is often a buyer\u2019s attempt to make the home appear defective, Steinhausen says. This type of scenario can open a can of worms.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes sharing a report can antagonize a homeowner, which usually isn’t a good thing,\u201d Steinhausen says. Regardless of how factually accurate his report is, when homeowners and sellers agents try to discredit the report\u2019s accuracy or downplay a buyer\u2019s concerns, both parties wind up at odds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen that happens, it makes buyers anxious,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd when the buyer is anxious and the seller is antagonized, the deal is on shaky ground and could easily fall apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the request makes sense<\/h2>\n

Sellers often ask for a copy of a home inspection<\/a> report after a deal has fallen apart completely. This happened to one of Hagan\u2019s clients. The buyer backed out of the deal, even after the seller agreed to fix all the items that the buyer had requested. The buyer\u2019s agent agreed to provide the seller with a copy of the inspection report so the seller could target any outstanding repairs for the next buyer.<\/p>\n

As an inspector, Steinhausen has also encountered situations where a new client asks him to inspect a house shortly after he reviewed it for someone else who ultimately decided not to buy it. In that type of scenario, Steinhausen offers to contact his former client to ask if they\u2019d be willing to share the report.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes the new client will pay the old client a portion of the inspection fee to view the report,\u201d he says. \u201cIn that case, I facilitate the transaction and provide the report, but I make no money on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (shisu_ka \/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gain control with a pre-listing inspection<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re the type of person who hates surprises and needs to be in the loop to sleep at night, you can order a pre-listing inspection<\/a> for about $330<\/a> to get ahead of any pressing repairs. With a pre-listing inspection, you\u2019ll be the one arranging for and paying for the report. The report results, in that case, are yours to review and act on.<\/p>\n

Hagan says he finds this helpful with out-of-state sellers, especially if they haven\u2019t been inside the property for sale for years. \u201cThat way when we put it on the market, we let the buyer see the [inspection report] along with everything that\u2019s fixed,\u201d he says. This gives the seller a sense of control because they can select the inspector and feel as if they have a level of trust with that person.<\/p>\n

While this doesn\u2019t negate the buyer from requesting a separate inspection, Steinhausen said that in many cases, the buyer has been satisfied with his work and not requested another inspection of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

House Needs Some Work to Sell?<\/h3>\n

No problem. Skip repairs, staging, and the hassle of open houses. Get an all-cash offer through HomeLight\u2019s Simple Sale platform whenever you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n \n

\n Request Offer<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bring up lingering concerns to your agent<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re concerned about whether you\u2019ll get a copy of the home inspection report as a seller, get your real estate agent\u2019s opinion on whether you should ask for it. If the buyer comes up with a list of repair requests, keep in mind that it might be best to handle those fixes on a need-to-know basis rather than go through the report line by line.<\/p>\n

Header Image Source: (Andrea Piacquadio \/ Pexels)<\/em><\/p>\n

All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement or any affiliation with HomeLight.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do sellers get a copy of the home inspection? Here\u2019s why despite your curiosity, real estate agents will advise sellers against making this request.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":19784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[705,322],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buyers-inspection","category-logistics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Sellers Getting a Copy of the Home Inspection Can Backfire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do sellers get a copy of the home inspection? Here\u2019s why despite your curiosity, real estate agents will advise sellers against making this request.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Do Sellers Get a Copy of the Inspection? Why a \u2018Need to Know\u2019 Basis Is Better\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do sellers get a copy of the home inspection? Here\u2019s why despite your curiosity, real estate agents will advise sellers against making this request.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-10-30T22:41:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-28T15:57:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Valerie Kalfrin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@valerie-kalfrin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Valerie Kalfrin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why Sellers Getting a Copy of the Home Inspection Can Backfire","description":"Do sellers get a copy of the home inspection? Here\u2019s why despite your curiosity, real estate agents will advise sellers against making this request.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Do Sellers Get a Copy of the Inspection? Why a \u2018Need to Know\u2019 Basis Is Better","og_description":"Do sellers get a copy of the home inspection? Here\u2019s why despite your curiosity, real estate agents will advise sellers against making this request.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_published_time":"2020-10-30T22:41:26+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-28T15:57:52+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Valerie Kalfrin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@valerie-kalfrin","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Valerie Kalfrin","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/"},"author":{"name":"Valerie Kalfrin","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/234e3147a305073d2c8cb21d61865465"},"headline":"Do Sellers Get a Copy of the Inspection? Why a \u2018Need to Know\u2019 Basis Is Better","datePublished":"2020-10-30T22:41:26+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-28T15:57:52+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/"},"wordCount":1261,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection.png","articleSection":["Home Inspections","Logistics"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/","name":"Why Sellers Getting a Copy of the Home Inspection Can Backfire","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection.png","datePublished":"2020-10-30T22:41:26+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-28T15:57:52+00:00","description":"Do sellers get a copy of the home inspection? Here\u2019s why despite your curiosity, real estate agents will advise sellers against making this request.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection.png","width":1500,"height":800,"caption":"Source: (Andrea Piacquadio \/ Pexels)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-sellers-get-a-copy-of-the-home-inspection\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Do Sellers Get a Copy of the Inspection? Why a \u2018Need to Know\u2019 Basis Is Better"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","name":"HomeLight Blog","description":"Real Estate Advice from America's Top Agents","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"HomeLight","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","width":1348,"height":262,"caption":"HomeLight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gohomelight","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/homelight\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCimugR9XF17-OZ7B9fNnxWw","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HomeLight"],"description":"Everything you need to know to sell your house faster and for more money. Articles, guides, and advice from top agents all over the U.S.","email":"support@homelight.com","telephone":"(888) 688-0350","legalName":"HomeLight","foundingDate":"2012-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"201","maxValue":"500"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/234e3147a305073d2c8cb21d61865465","name":"Valerie Kalfrin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/86b69a0e8a73ca97e0cc84bf6294e479059bce7b41ed89cec2bbacf27469f4b6?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/86b69a0e8a73ca97e0cc84bf6294e479059bce7b41ed89cec2bbacf27469f4b6?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Valerie Kalfrin"},"description":"Valerie Kalfrin is a multiple award-winning journalist, film and fiction fan, and creative storyteller with a knack for detailed, engaging stories.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/valeriekalfrin\/","https:\/\/x.com\/valerie-kalfrin"],"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/author\/valerie-kalfrin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}