What Actually Matters at a South Florida Home Inspection

Every inspection report reads like a list of problems, because listing every small thing is the inspector's job. Knowing which items actually matter is a different skill, and in South Florida a few of them matter a lot.

Start with the roof. Roof age drives your insurance more than almost anything else here. An older roof can mean a higher premium, a required replacement, or a policy you cannot get at all. Ask the age, ask for the permit, and factor a near-term replacement into the number if it is due.

Plumbing and the electrical panel come next. Older homes can hide dated supply lines and cast iron drains that are near the end of their life. On the electrical side, a few older panel brands have known safety issues and insurers flag them. Neither is automatically a dealbreaker, but both change the real cost of the home.

Then water. In a coastal, high-humidity market, signs of past water intrusion, staining, or moisture around windows and under the AC handler tell you more than a fresh coat of paint ever will. Air conditioning itself matters too: age, condition, and whether it was permitted.

While we are there, I am also watching for work done without permits, which can become your problem after closing. What I am doing during the inspection is separating the items that change the decision or the price from the items that are simply the age of the house. You get a clear read on what to negotiate, what to fix, and what to let go.