What Massachusetts Homebuyers Need to Know About the New Home Inspection Law
Massachusetts has passed a new home inspection regulation that significantly changes how and when buyers can secure a home inspection during the offer process. As your realtor, it’s important that you understand how this impacts you whether you’re buying or selling.
What changed?
Previously, buyers often waived inspections in competitive situations because it was viewed as necessary to be chosen in multiple-offer environments. This became increasingly common (and risky) during the peak competition years — especially 2020–2023.
Under the new law, buyers in Massachusetts must be given the opportunity to conduct a home inspection, and sellers can no longer require or prioritize offers that waive that right.
This means:
→ you can no longer be penalized for wanting a home inspection
→ sellers cannot prefer inspection-waived offers by default
→ transparency + consumer protection is the priority
Why the law changed
Over the past few years, we’ve seen countless situations where buyers waived inspections out of fear they’d lose the house — then discovered major system defects later: roofs, electrical, structural, radon, water intrusion, etc. Repair costs soared. Litigation rose. Consumer complaints rose.
The state responded by strengthening buyer protection — acknowledging that home purchase is one of the largest financial decisions someone will ever make.
What this means if you’re a buyer
You now have more balance, more leverage, and more safety.
You can still move quickly. You can still write competitive, strong, clean offers. But now you also have a built-in right to inspect — which means you can protect your investment without feeling like you’re sabotaging your offer.
As your realtor, I will help you:
-
understand inspection timelines
-
choose reputable inspection professionals
-
structure inspection contingencies strategically
What this means if you’re a seller
Sellers will need to prepare homes even more thoughtfully ahead of listing — because inspections will be present in nearly every accepted offer again.
This means:
-
pre-listing prep matters more
-
pre-listing inspection is now a major strategic advantage again
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disclosure and documentation will be more important
If your home is maintained and properly prepared, this law actually benefits you — because it puts your well-maintained condition on display, and reduces post-offer renegotiation surprises.
Bottom line
This is a significant step forward for consumer protection in Massachusetts real estate. The goal isn’t to slow transactions down — it’s to ensure that purchases are informed, grounded, and financially safer for buyers.
I’ll guide you through the new process every step of the way — whether you’re gearing up to buy or preparing to list your home in 2025.
If you have questions about how this affects your strategy, reach out — this is something we should talk through before you enter the market.
