Some buyers skip the home inspection to speed up closing or to make their offer more competitive. Others assume that a newer home or a recent renovation means there is nothing to inspect. After more than 13,000 inspections in New Jersey since 1993, Michael Del Greco has seen what that decision costs buyers — and it is rarely worth it.
Here are the seven reasons every NJ home buyer needs a professional home inspection before the expiration of their inspection contingency.
1. New Jersey Homes Hide Expensive Problems
New Jersey has one of the oldest housing stocks in the country. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint. Homes built before 1990 frequently have knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring. Homes across much of northern and central New Jersey sit on soils with elevated radon potential. Properties heated with oil before the switch to gas may have underground storage tanks on the property — a source of contamination that can cost tens of thousands to remediate. These conditions are invisible without a trained professional. They do not announce themselves at open houses. A home inspection is how you find them before you close.
2. You Need an Inspector Who Works for You — Not Your Agent
In New Jersey, real estate agents frequently refer home inspectors to their clients. That referral relationship creates a conflict of interest. An inspector who depends on agent referrals for business has a financial reason to keep agents happy — which may not always align with giving the buyer an unvarnished assessment of the home. Michael Del Greco does not solicit agent referrals. He is retained directly by buyers, and his loyalty is to buyers. That independence is one of the most important things to ask about before you hire any inspector.
3. Safety Hazards Are Often Invisible
Carbon monoxide, the leading cause of accidental poisoning death in the United States, has no color and no odor. Faulty gas appliances, cracked heat exchangers, and blocked flue vents can produce dangerous CO levels inside a home with no visible sign of the problem. Similarly, electrical defects — double-tapped breakers, reversed polarity, ungrounded outlets, overloaded panels — are inside walls and panels, not visible at a showing. A trained inspector systematically examines every CO-generating appliance and every accessible electrical component. That examination is not possible at a walk-through.
4. The Inspection Gives You Negotiating Power
A written inspection report is documentation. It records the condition of every system and component of the home at the time of inspection — the roof, the foundation, the electrical panel, the HVAC, the plumbing. When significant findings are present, that documentation gives you and your real estate attorney a factual basis for negotiation. Without it, you are asking for adjustments based on impressions rather than evidence. Before the expiration of your inspection contingency, the report is your most important tool.
5. New Jersey Has Specific Risks That Require a Local Expert
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. New Jersey — particularly northern and central NJ, where glacial soils and granite bedrock create natural radon pathways — has elevated average radon levels compared to much of the country. Michael Del Greco has held a New Jersey radon measurement technician license (MET10521) since 1993. He knows where radon risk is highest in NJ and how to read a result in context. Underground oil tanks, active in NJ homes through the 1990s, are another NJ-specific risk that requires a knowledgeable inspector to identify and flag for further evaluation.
6. A Certified Master Inspector Finds What Others Miss
Not all home inspectors hold the same credentials. In New Jersey, the minimum requirement is a state license. A Certified Master Inspector (CMI) — the highest credential in the home inspection industry — has completed a substantially higher volume of inspections and demonstrated knowledge beyond the licensing standard. Michael Del Greco is both a CMI and a CMI Instructor, meaning he trained other inspectors at the master level. That depth of experience matters most when a home has unusual systems, deferred maintenance, or a history that raises questions. Review our page on what CMI certification means in NJ for more detail.
7. Your Inspection Contingency Only Protects You If You Use It
The inspection contingency in your New Jersey real estate contract gives you a window of time to inspect the property, obtain further evaluations, and make decisions based on what you find. Once that window closes, your protection closes with it. But the contingency only works if your inspection gives you enough information to act on. A rushed inspection, an inspector who misses significant findings, or a report so vague it cannot support a conversation with your attorney — these outcomes leave you holding a contingency that is technically in place but practically useless. The inspection itself is the contingency working. Make sure you have an inspector who makes that investment worth it. Read our NJ home inspection FAQ for common questions about what inspections cover and how to use your report.
Schedule Your NJ Home Inspection
Call (973) 812-5100 — Monday through Friday 8 AM to 8 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 5 PM. Michael Del Greco is NJ License GI0121, Certified Master Inspector, CMI Instructor, and radon measurement technician (MET10521) since 1993. Your presence is required and your questions are welcome.
