Real estate home inspections are very important in today's real estate market.  Thus, if you are planning to sell your home you might consider having an inspection before placing your home on the market.  By doing so, it will give you a better understanding of conditions, which may be discovered by the buyer's home inspector.  In addition, once you know
the conditions, you will have an opportunity to make repairs at your leisure that will put the house in better selling condition and improve the appraised value.

A home inspection is an examination of the structure and systems such as the heating and air conditioning, plumbing and electrical, roof, attic, insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, etc.  No house is perfect, not even your house!  If the inspector does find problems, it doesn't mean you can't sell your house.  It just means that you must get to work and either
get the repairs made or set a lower asking price.

You are not alone.  In fact, more than 40 percent of the previously owned homes on the market have at least one serious defect and almost every so called used home needs some sort of repair or improvement.  Especially, with all the new codes, etc.  In addition, with today's high prices, buyers want to make sure that they are aware of any major problems in a house that they are considering purchasing, and what it will take to remedy the situation.

As a real estate broker in California, in my opinion the most common
serious home defects to be on the lookout for are:

1.  Failing air-conditioning compressor
2.  Environmental hazards including radon, asbestos, and lead paint
3.  Defective roofing and/or flashings
4.  Insect infestation -- termites or carpenter ants.  Just a quick note to point out that termite inspections are not really a new part of the home inspection process since most all lenders have been requiring termite inspections as a condition for approving a new home loan for decades.
5.  Messed up plumbing
6.  Aluminum wiring
7.  Foundation cracks
8.  Major house settlement
9.  Undersized electrical system in today's real estate market because of all the technological innovations
10. Chimney settling or separation

In most cases, these problems can be repaired. However, depending on the specific problem, the cost can be substantial.

It is my personal opinion that as a seller you may want an inspector that has been selected by you and not an inspector that has been selected by the buyer's real estate agent. The buyer will, of course, select their own inspector after a contract has been signed.  However, you will now be more informed on what, if anything, is not correct with the property.  Just remember, that the laws have changed since you purchased the house (example:  many cities require you to change out a perfectly working toilet with a water saving toilet).

As a general rule, you should be able to find home inspectors in the yellow pages under Home Inspection Service.  If that does not work for you, ask your real estate agent or mortgage broker.

Just make sure that your inspector is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors or a member the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors.  The above home inspection organizations are non-profit professional associations that have developed standards of practice and a professional code of ethics that members are required to follow.