Know Before You Close: A Home Inspector's Guide for Home Buyers Is Now on Amazon
Your offer gets accepted, and the clock starts. In most contracts you've got about 10 to 15 days to get the inspection done, read the report, line up contractor quotes, and work out next steps with your agent. That's a lot to figure out on a deadline, especially if it's your first house. I wrote this book to help support the home buyer, on their journey earlier in the process. Before you make the offer, and before you have to find an inspector.
Know Before You Close: A Home Buyer's Guide. It's now available as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.
Know Before You Close: A Home Buyer's Guide is a Kindle ebook by Sean Struckmeyer, an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector and owner of Tech Inspect Home Services. It walks home buyers through the full process, from what to notice during a showing to choosing an inspector, reading the report, recognizing red flags, negotiating repairs, and preparing a home between closing and move-in.
What is Know Before You Close?
It's a plain-language guide to the home inspection and home buying process, written from the inspector's side of the job. After a lot of walkthroughs, I noticed buyers ask the same handful of questions. What does this finding actually mean? Is this a big deal? Who should look at it next? How do I decide what to ask the seller to fix?
The book answers those questions in order, the same way you'll run into them during a purchase. It uses real examples from inspections, many with photos, so you can see what common problems look like instead of just reading about them.
What's inside the book?
Here's what each chapter covers:
Before You Book. Setting your limits and building a walk-away list before you tour, what to notice during a showing, the "Big 3" (roof, HVAC, and foundation), and building materials every buyer should recognize.
The Inspection Process. How to choose an inspector, what a home inspection covers and where it stops, and when to add services like radon testing, sewer scopes, termite inspections, mold testing, and well and septic inspections.
Understanding the Report. How to read the report, what "further evaluation" means, and why not every major concern is a major expense.
Major Red Flags. Water intrusion, hidden moisture and mold, termites, and structural problems.
Older Homes. Outdated wiring and electrical panels, sewer laterals, lead, asbestos, and radon.
After the Inspection. Weighing repairs, credits, price reductions, and walking away, plus a checklist for the days between closing and moving in.
The appendices list the sources behind the key facts, like the EPA and InterNACHI, so you can check current details yourself.
How should you use the book during your home buying journey?
You don't have to read it cover to cover in one sitting. It's laid out so you can pick up the part you need when you need it:
Before you start touring, read Chapter 1 and write down your limits. Decide what would make you walk away while you can still think about it objectively.
When your offer is accepted, read Chapter 2 so you know how to schedule, what add-on services to consider, and how to prepare for inspection day.
When the report lands, use Chapters 3 and 4 to work through the findings, sort out what's urgent, and figure out which specialists to call.
After closing, use the move-in checklist in Chapter 6 while the house is still empty and easy to work in.
Most buyers don't get much time to learn this stuff once the clock is running. Reading ahead means fewer surprises and better questions when it counts.
Why did a home inspector write a book?
Because the walkthrough at the end of an inspection only lasts so long. In 30 minutes or so, I can show a buyer what I found and answer their questions, but a lot of what helps buyers most happens before that point. Setting limits before touring, booking add-on services on time, and knowing what a report category actually means all make the inspection more useful.
The book is my way of getting that information to buyers earlier, including buyers who aren't in my service area.
Who is the book for?
It's written for anyone buying a home who wants to understand what they're looking at before they commit. That includes:
First-time buyers who've never been through an inspection
Move-up buyers and downsizers who haven't bought in years
Anyone buying an older home with original systems
Agents who want a resource to share with their buyers
You don't need any construction background. If you can read your inspection report and know which questions to ask, you're in a much better spot to make your decision.
Does the book replace a home inspection?
No. A book can teach you what to look for, but it can't look at your house. A showing gives you limited time and limited access, and there's a lot a buyer can't safely or reasonably check. Think of the book as preparation. It helps you notice more, ask better questions, and get more out of your inspection and your inspector's report.
Is there a companion workbook?
Yes. Before You Make an Offer is a printed home-shopping workbook for the touring stage. It gives you the same simple process for every house: notes and yes/no questions, the Big 3 grouped together, a scoring system, and a side-by-side comparison so the houses don't blur together by Sunday night.
The two work together. Use the workbook to choose the house, and use Know Before You Close to understand it before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get Know Before You Close? Know Before You Close: A Home Buyer's Guide is available as a Kindle ebook on Amazon. You can read it on a Kindle device or in the free Kindle app on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Who wrote Know Before You Close? Sean Struckmeyer, an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector and owner of Tech Inspect Home Services LLC in Marthasville, Missouri.
Is this book only for Missouri buyers? No. This edition is written for home buyers anywhere in the U.S. It notes where rules vary by state, like inspector licensing, report formats, and termite inspection requirements.
Does the book cover what happens after the inspection? Yes. It covers reading the report, getting specialist evaluations and quotes, working with your agent on repairs or credits, and a checklist for the days between closing and moving in.
Do I still need a home inspection if I read the book? Yes. The book helps you prepare and understand the process, but only a professional inspection can evaluate the specific home you're buying.
Ready to get started?
Get Know Before You Close on Amazon, see what a real report looks like in our sample reports, or schedule your inspection when your offer is accepted.
Tech Inspect Home Services LLC · 3580 Highway T, Marthasville, MO 63357 · 636-201-6366 · sean@techinspecthome.com
