Blog
Moving to Texas? You’ll Need a Home Inspector—Here’s How to Find One
Everything really is bigger in Texas—including our population growth. In the past year, the Lone Star State added more residents than any other state in the U.S., and those numbers just keep growing. And if you’re one of the thousands of people making Texas your new...
Why So Many West Coasters Are Moving to Dallas Fort Worth—and What to Do If You’re One of Them
Talk of a "California Exodus" is sweeping the country—masses of residents, from tech giants to everyday Americans leaving California for less-crowded, more affordable states. With COVID-19 accelerating the outflow, it leaves many wondering: Where are they going? The...
What You Should Know About the Most Common Issues Found on Home Inspections
By Keith Boggs Posted January 15, 2021, at 7:00 am CT Our job as home inspectors is to find and describe a property’s defects, so you, as a potential home buyer, understand as much as you can about its condition before you commit to what will likely be one of the most...
What is Not Included in a Home Inspection? You Should Know.
By Keith Boggs Posted December 15, 2020, at 7:00 am CT “What is included in a home inspection?” This is a question we get all the time. And we’ve written several articles going into a lot of detail (perhaps too much detail!) to help buyers and sellers understand what...
Can You Fail a Home Inspection? The Answer Is…
By Keith Boggs Posted November 16, 2020, at 9:00 am CT One of the most interesting questions I get about home inspections is this: “Can you fail a home inspection?” I suppose it’s a reasonable question, particularly for those who haven’t been through a home inspection...
How to Choose a Home Inspector? These are Our Top 5 Tips.
By Keith Boggs Posted October 15, 2020, at 7:00 am CT On our blog, we provide a lot of advice on how to choose a home inspector. Because, unlike finding people to provide other home services — for example, landscaping, appliance repair, or fixing a garage door — there...
The Most Important Questions to Ask a Home Inspector
By Keith Boggs Posted September 18, 2020, at 7:00 am CT Are you about to make an offer on what you think will be your next home? If so, don’t underestimate the importance of the home inspection! It will give you the information you need to: Fully understand the...
What Does a Home Inspector Do?
Many first-time homebuyers are unfamiliar with the processes that take them from house-hunting to moving day. Who’s involved? And what happens when? In fact, we see that even buyers who have been through the real estate process several times before often need a...
How Long Does a Home Inspection Take? COVID-19 Changes Our Answer.
By Keith Boggs Posted July 17, 2020 at 2:00 pm We are living in some very challenging times, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Life, however, goes on. And while some home sellers have decided to take their properties off the market until better times (thus reducing the...
How Much Does a Home Inspection Cost and Who Pays?
By Keith Boggs Posted May 10, 2019 at 10:43am Did you know the average listing price of a home in Frisco is nearly $500,000? And in Dallas, it’s more than $600,000! If you're like most people, a home is probably the largest investment you’ll make in your lifetime. And...
Debunking the Top Five Myths About DFW Home Inspections
By Keith Boggs Posted June 15, 2020 at 8:00 am CT There’s so much that goes into buying or selling a home: The listings, the viewings, the appraisals, the inspections, the negotiations…and the QUESTIONS! Doing a Google search can deliver answers, but how do you know...
Answers to Your Common Questions About Home Inspection Costs
By Keith Boggs Posted May 15, 2020, at 9:00 am CT Buying a home can be the largest investment you will make in your lifetime — which is why a home inspection is such an important part of the home buying process. It’s also an inexpensive service compared to the cost of...
What to Expect from a Home Inspection During the COVID-19 Crisis
By Keith Boggs Posted April 15, 2020 at 10:00 am CT COVID-19, aka Coronavirus, has slammed the brakes on nearly all aspects of daily life. It’s surreal — like a nightmare science fiction movie where some unknown creature seems to be lurking around each and every...
Five Tips for Getting the Most Value from Your Home Inspection
By Keith Boggs Posted March 15, 2020 at 10:00am CT Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will likely make in your lifetime. It can also be scary. What if it turns out to be a lemon? What if it becomes a money pit? This is why the home inspection is one...
A Simplified Home Inspection Checklist for Sellers
By Keith Boggs Posted February 15, 2020 at 10:00am CT Your home is on the market and there’s an offer on the table. Congratulations! Now it’s time to get ready for the buyer’s home inspection — an event that can make or break the deal. But don’t be too concerned. By...
Stonebriar Property Inspections Celebrates 13 Years of DFW Home Inspection Success
Stonebriar Property Inspections, a leading North Texas home inspection company, is proud to celebrate 13 Years of business success with more than 5,000 high-quality home inspections in Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas. Keith Boggs, founder and professional...
A Simplified Home Inspection Checklist for Buyers
By Keith Boggs Posted January 15, 2020 at 10:00am CT So, you’ve made an offer on a house and have entered the “option period” — those critical five to ten days during which you must assess the home's condition, identify issues, negotiate for repairs on certain items,...
The Silent Killer: What You Should Know About Carbon Monoxide
By Keith Boggs Posted December 16, 2019 at 4:00 pm CST This past Thanksgiving turned terrifying for actress Anna Faris and 12 of her family members when they were exposed to toxic levels of carbon monoxide at their Lake Tahoe rental home. As the story has been told,...
What Fixes Are Mandatory After a Home Inspection?
By Keith Boggs Posted November 18, 2019 at 10:00am CST As a prospective home buyer, you know that no home is going to be perfect. A home inspector will uncover defects, regardless of how well the property looks on the surface. So, what happens after you find out what...
5 Ways to Get Rid Of Old Paint in the Dallas Area
Look into any home's garage and you're likely to see a collection of paint cans — some old, some not-so-old — but most of which are likely to sit unused for years. Why do we hang on to them? Because figuring out how and where to get rid of them safely — without...
Learn How to Save Water and Cash During Fix a Leak Week March 20 – 26
Did you know that minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of wasted water each year? That's the amount of water that 11 million homes use every year. Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more every day. Is yours one of them? You...
Close the Deal! Our Top 5 Home Inspection Tips for Sellers
For sellers, the home inspection process can be nerve-wracking. You know someone is interested in buying, but the outcomes can make or break the deal. You also want it to go smoothly. It shows your support for the buyer and desire for negotiating a fair contract....
Be Prepared! Our Top 5 Home Inspection Tips for Buyers
By Keith Boggs Posted September 16, 2019 at 10:00am CST. Out of a sea of homes, you think you’ve found the one that is just right for you and your family. Congratulations! As a buyer, you still have a lot to figure out and many steps to take. One of the most important...
Home Inspection 101: What to Expect When You’re Inspecting
By Keith Boggs. Posted August 20, 2019 at 11:15am. It's hard to believe that we've been performing Dallas home inspections for more than 10 years now! And we've learned from experience that a lot of people don't know what to expect when a home inspector walks through...
Selecting a Home Inspection Company: You’re Hiring a Person, Not a Company
Whether buying or selling, you want the best home inspector you can find to make sure your interests are protected. You'll find there are many inspection firms to choose from in the Dallas area — some with multiple inspectors, others with just one or two, like my...
What is Included in a Typical Home Inspection? Here’s What Buyers Should Know.
For potential home buyers, the home inspection is a critical milestone on the real estate journey, especially in a tight housing market. An inspection can confirm the seller’s assertions about a house's condition — or it can uncover defects no one knew were there, for...
How Long Does a Home Inspection Take?
By Keith Boggs Posted July 15, 2019 at 07:53am One of the most frequent questions people ask when scheduling a home inspection is about how long the inspection process takes to complete. The simple answer is that most home inspections take between two and four hours,...
Home Seller’s Checklist: Here’s How to Prepare for a Home Inspection
You’ve just accepted an offer on your house, and the inspection is the last step before you finalize the deal. You and the buyer both want to get to that point. And no matter what the inspector finds, you’ll have the option to fix defects or provide financial...
How the Outcomes of a Home Inspection Can Affect a Pending Sale
Whether you’re in search of a home or trying to sell one, you know the home inspection is a pivotal event. If the outcomes are good, the sale will likely go smoothly. If not, it may be dead in the water. So, what does that mean for you? Here’s how the outcomes of the...
What a Home Inspector Can (and Can’t) Tell You About a Home’s HVAC System
Talk with any builder, home contractor, or home inspector for long and you’ll likely hear the term HVAC come up. HVAC is an abbreviation for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. An HVAC system is the integrated ecosystem of a home’s heating and air conditioning...
Termite Inspection: A Small Price to Pay for Peace of Mind
We recently shared a few reasons you might consider adding both thermal imaging and ZipLevel measurements to your home inspection when you’re about to invest in a new home or other structure. Because these two techniques help your home inspector identify potential...
Two Tools Your Home Inspector Should Offer to Find Hidden Hazards
Texas home inspectors are required to visually inspect accessible systems and components inside and outside the home. But what about the parts of a home you want to buy that aren’t “accessible”? Inside the walls? Under the flooring? Or in those tiny crawl spaces and...
Increase Your Home’s Value by Transforming Your Garage
If you're getting ready to sell your home, you're probably developing a master project list based on a number of questions and decisions: What needs fixing? What needs freshening up? Where will you spend your money before putting your home on the market? And what...
For Homebuyers: What Happens Before, During, and After a Home Inspection
By Keith Boggs Posted September 13, 2018 at 17:51 CST. Many of our clients are first-time buyers. Others may not have had a home inspection in so long, they can't recall how the process unfolds. If you're in one of these groups, you’re probably wondering what happens...
The Most Important Question to Ask a Home Inspector Before You Hire
Earlier this year, we put together a list of 13 questions you should ask a home inspector before you offer him the job. The questions are all valuable — after all, you’re about to make one of the largest investments of your life. But one sticks out as the single, most...
Whether Buying or Building, Home Inspections Matter
Did you know that the Dallas area is the top new home market in the country, with 33,234 homes started in 2017? 4th quarter construction starts were up 16.9% over 2016, and builders report stronger than expected sales at the end of 2017, indicating 2018 could be a...
A Hot Dallas Housing Market Means Home Inspections are Essential!
Our housing market is booming with big names like Toyota, Huawei, Samsung, Kubota, McKesson, and Hilti setting up shop in the area, bringing thousands of jobs and transplanting thousands of people to fill them. And this means lots of new houses are being built. In...
Why You Should Inspect Your Newly-Constructed Home More Than Once
If you're building a new home in the Dallas metropolitan area, here's something important to consider: Our housing market is on fire! The latest census data shows that the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area issued more than 34,000 housing...
Selling Your Home? 22 Ways to Prepare for a Home Inspection
Homeowners focus largely on cosmetic fixes when preparing to sell. They put fresh paint on the walls, remodel kitchens and baths, and spruce up the landscape. And these efforts pay off: The house looks and feels clean and modern, which captures the attention of buyers...
5 Good Reasons to Have Your Home Inspected Every Year
When you buy or sell a home, it's a given that you will have a home inspection — but have you thought about having your current home inspected outside of the buying or selling process? We've lived in our home for 13 years, and I can't tell you how many times my...
Selecting a Home Inspector? Ask These 13 Questions.
By Keith Boggs Posted February 12, 2018 at 17:27 CST. 13 Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector Buying a home is one of the most significant investments you’ll make, so having the property professionally inspected before committing is critical. If you need to hire a...
How to Clean Windows Like a Pro in 3 Easy Steps
One of the most effective ways to make your home lighter, brighter, and happier is to clean its windows — inside and out. And it is an essential task when you are getting ready to put your home on the market. You want to let the sun shine in! For those windows to...
How Can Insulation Contribute To Home Repair Following A Hurricane?
From your friends at Stonebriar Home Inspections! As we are all too aware, hurricane season is in full swing, and thousands of homeowners across the southern U.S. and Puerto Rico have been hit by mammoth hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Nearly every year, the cost...
5 DIY Home Upgrades Anyone Can Do In A Day
Helpful information from Stonebriar Home Inspections! Do-it-yourself home projects are sweeping the nation, and it’s easy to see why. DIY is typically budget-friendly and fulfilling to complete; simply find the right project to match your skill set and needs. To get...
3 Steps To A Healthier, Happier Home
Brought to you by Stonebriar Home Inspections! Today, people are more focused on health and wellness than ever before. You know this because you are constantly flooded with advice on what to eat, how (and how much) to exercise, and what to ask your doctors. All of...
4 DIY Tips To Save Money And Get Your Home Ready For Winter
From your friends at Stonebriar Home Inspections! Many people look forward to the cooler weather. The brisk autumn winds and colorful leaves signal that once again it’s time to take out the sweaters and scarves. There are the hot soups and pumpkin-flavored drinks to...
The Sound Of Silence: How To Design A Quiet Home Office
The Article Courtesy of Stonebriar Home Inspections! In today’s increasingly digital world, it’s no surprise that more employees are opting to work from home. While there may be a shift of physical locations — from the office building to the home — productivity is...
Tips To Stop Drafts, Save Money And Improve Your Home
Here are a few great fall/winter tips for helping to keep your home warm and also help on your energy bills from your friends at Stonebriar Property Inspections. As you are aware, colder weather is here. Before those winds begin to howl, be sure your home is ready for...
10 Hot Home Tech Gifts for Every Budget!
'Tis the holiday season, which means it's prime time to find good deals on fancy new electronic gadgets that promise to make your home even more awesome! Does your home entertainment system need an upgrade? Are you looking to improve your house's security system? What...
How to Keep Your Cool by Maintaining Your Air Conditioner
It's summer in Dallas — which, as you know, means air conditioners are running and utility bills are rising. Did you know that 6% of your household energy goes to cooling your home? And homeowners spend $29 billion every year to run their A/C systems! Air conditioners...
Your 7-Step DIY Sprinkler Tune-Up Checklist and When You Can Water in DFW
With temperatures already in the eighties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it's a good time to make sure your sprinkler system is in tip-top shape. Doing so will save you water, which in turn saves you cash. (Did you know that minor water leaks account for more than 1...
6 Steps to Keep Your Pipes from Bursting During a Freeze
Did you know a 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can release up to 250 gallons of water in a single day? That's why it's important to protect your plumbing when the temperature dips below freezing. Water in pipes expands as it turns into ice. Pipe bursts. And you are left...
10 Gifts Any First-Time Homeowner Wants to Receive
Our friends just bought their first home, so we've been trying to find the perfect holiday/housewarming gift for them. There are so many options, and we've done some research. Along the way, we've collected 10 gift ideas we think any first-time homeowner will...
The Top Five Decisions to Make Before Gutter Replacement
Some friends of ours recently replaced their gutters and downspouts. And while that sounds like a relatively simple project, they found there was more to consider than they expected. If you are planning for a gutter replacement anytime soon, here are the top five...
What You Wish You Knew About Fire Extinguishers
It's the National Fire Protection Association's Fire Prevention Week, and their focus for the third year in a row is on smoke alarm safety. Smoke alarms are a great way to protect your family, pets, and home from unnecessary fire and smoke damage. We wrote about how...
Three Keys to Keeping Your Smoke Alarms Ready to Rescue
September is National Preparedness Month. Fire Prevention Week is just around the corner — October 9th through the 15th. And the National Fire Protection Association and U.S. Fire Administration want to educate you about the basic, but life-saving, smoke alarm....
Make Sure Your Home Inspection Isn’t Botched
We were watching Botched the other night – a TV show about a couple of plastic surgeons who fix procedures that other people have messed up. Usually, those who botch the surgeries are not ethical, licensed plastic surgeons. Often, they’re not even doctors. Yet people...
Prevent Costly Home Repairs with Proper Grading and Drainage
Standing water near your home’s foundation caused by improper grading or faulty gutters and downspouts can cause damage, including slab movement, retaining wall failures, and slope instabilities. It can also lead to serious foundation problems, requiring costly...
10 Budget-Friendly Ways to Stage Your Home For a Fast Sale
If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, you want to sell it at a fair price, as fast as possible, and with the least up-front investment of time and money. And while you may need to make critical repairs or decide to update a few “That 70’s Show”...
5 Steps to Optimize Your Home Buyer’s Option Period
The Good News You’ve found what you think is your dream home and have decided to make an offer. The Bad News You really don’t know what you’re buying yet, because you haven’t had the home inspected. You also don’t want someone else to swoop in and steal the property...