What Inspections Should You Get When Buying an Arizona Home?

The inspections you should get when buying an Arizona home start with a general inspection and a termite report, then add roof, AC, sewer or pool checks.

Most Arizona buyers should order a general home inspection from a state-certified inspector and a termite report, then add the specialists the house calls for: a roofer, an HVAC technician, a sewer scope or a pool inspection. All of it must fit inside the standard contract’s 10-day inspection period, so plan before you sign.

Key takeaways

• The standard Arizona resale contract gives buyers 10 days after acceptance to complete inspections, unless the contract says otherwise.
• General home inspectors in Arizona are certified by the State Board of Technical Registration, and their inspections are visual; they don’t cover termites or pools.
• Termites are considered Arizona’s number one urban pest, and many lenders, including VA, generally require a termite report.
• Add specialists based on the house: a roofer when the roof is 10 or more years old, plus AC, sewer, pool, septic or well checks as needed.
• Inspections are only half of due diligence. Read the seller’s disclosure, check permits, the claims history, flood zones and earth fissure maps too.

How does the Arizona inspection period work?

In the standard Arizona REALTORS® Residential Resale Real Estate Purchase Contract, the buyer’s inspection period is 10 days after contract acceptance unless the parties agree to a different number. Within that window you complete your inspections and, if you want anything addressed, deliver a Buyer’s Inspection Notice and Seller’s Response, known in Arizona as the BINSR.

Arizona REALTORS® legal counsel explains how the BINSR process works. You list the items you disapprove of and either cancel right away or give the seller a chance to correct or address them. The seller has five days to respond, and silence counts as a refusal. You then have five days after the seller’s response (or after the response period runs out) to cancel or move forward. If you deliver no notice at all within the inspection period, the contract treats that as your decision to close without corrections. The February 2026 Buyer Advisory, published jointly by Arizona REALTORS® and the Arizona Department of Real Estate, is the best single checklist of what to investigate during that window.

Ten days goes fast. Here is how I would use it: schedule your inspections within the first two or three days, so there is still time to bring in a specialist if the general inspector flags something.

What does a general home inspection cover in Arizona?

A general inspection is a visual check of the home’s major systems and structure: roof, attic, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, foundation, and more. In Arizona, home inspectors must be certified by the State Board of Technical Registration, which requires a national exam, training, supervised inspections, a fingerprint clearance card and financial assurance.

Knowing its limits matters as much as knowing what it covers. Under Arizona’s home inspector standards of practice, a home inspection is visual and will not identify concealed conditions, and it excludes termites and other pests as well as swimming pools. That is why most Arizona buyers need more than one inspection. You can confirm an inspector’s certification through the board’s online registrant search before you hire them.

Do I need a termite inspection in Arizona?

Usually, yes. No state law requires a termite inspection for a sale, but lenders often do, and the risk is real here. University of Arizona Extension calls termites Arizona’s number one urban pest, with desert subterranean termites the most common and most destructive.

The report is called a Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report, or WDIIR, and only a pest control business licensed by the Arizona Department of Agriculture can prepare one. VA loans in Arizona generally require one, according to Veterans United’s guide to VA termite inspections. You can also look up past termite treatments on a property through the state’s termite action report search, which can tell you whether a home has a treatment history worth asking about.

Should I get a separate roof, AC or sewer inspection?

Often, yes, depending on the home’s age and systems. These three specialist inspections are worth considering, because each covers something expensive that a general inspector can only partly evaluate.

For roofs, the Buyer Advisory says an inspection by a licensed roofer is strongly recommended when a roof is 10 years old or older. Many Phoenix homes have tile roofs, where the tiles can outlast the underlayment beneath them, so a roofer’s opinion on the underlayment’s remaining life is often the most valuable part of the visit. For air conditioning, a separate HVAC evaluation tells you how old the system is, how it is performing and what a replacement might cost before your first summer. For sewer lines, a camera scope shows cracks, root intrusion or sagging pipes that no one can see from inside the house. The Buyer Advisory also suggests confirming that a home is actually connected to the city sewer even when the seller’s disclosure says it is.

What about pools, septic systems and wells?

Each needs its own check. Because general inspectors can exclude pools and spas, a separate pool inspection makes sense for most homes that have one, and the Buyer Advisory points buyers to Arizona’s pool barrier requirements, which can apply after you move in.

Septic systems have specific rules. Under Arizona’s onsite wastewater transfer rule, the seller must have the system inspected by a qualified inspector within six months before the transfer and give the buyer the report, and the buyer must file a Notice of Transfer within 15 days after closing. Maricopa County’s fee for that filing is $60 per parcel. For a private well, the Arizona Department of Water Resources requires a change-of-ownership filing after closing, and you can search its well registry by parcel before you buy. Testing the water itself is a separate step worth asking about.

What should I check besides the physical inspections?

The paperwork. Some of the costliest surprises in Arizona aren’t visible during an inspection at all, so use the same 10 days to review documents and public records.

• Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS): read every answer, and ask follow-up questions about repairs, leaks, pests and anything marked “unknown.”
• Insurance claims history: ask the seller for a claims report, sometimes called a CLUE report, which NAR explains is free to homeowners but not to buyers.
• Permits: check the city’s permit records for additions, pools, solar or major remodels; the City of Phoenix has an online permit search.
• Flood zone: look up the property with FEMA and the Flood Control District of Maricopa County.
• Earth fissures: check the Arizona Geological Survey’s fissure maps, especially on the edges of the Valley.
• Solar: if the home has panels, get the lease, loan or ownership documents early, since they affect both your costs and your financing.

Can an inspection miss something?

Yes, and it helps to go in knowing that. In 2025, ABC15 reported on Hailey and Alex Aguirre, a Phoenix-area couple who hired three inspection companies for their new home. Their movers found termites before closing, which the sellers treated, and then the laundry pipes burst two days after they closed. “The termite company and the general housing missed a couple of really big things,” Alex told the station.

Their experience doesn’t mean inspections aren’t worth it. It means they are a snapshot of what can be seen on one day. Read the full report, not just the summary. Ask the inspector what they couldn’t access. Follow up on any “further evaluation recommended” note with a specialist before your period ends. If something serious is missed, the State Board of Technical Registration explains how to file a complaint and how to request an inspector’s financial assurance information, although the board itself cannot award damages.

A 10-day inspection plan for Arizona buyers

1. Line up your inspectors before you write the offer, so you can schedule on day one.
2. Book the general inspection and termite report within the first two or three days.
3. Add a roofer, HVAC technician, sewer scope, pool inspection, or septic and well checks as the home requires.
4. Review the SPDS, claims history, permits, flood zone and fissure maps at the same time.
5. Decide what matters most, then deliver your BINSR before the inspection period ends.

If you are buying your first home, my article on what first-time buyers should know about North Phoenix homes this fall covers the steps before the offer, and if you are still deciding whether to buy at all, my rent-vs.-buy breakdown runs the numbers. When you are ready to look, you can search available homes in Arizona.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the inspection period when buying a house in Arizona?

In the standard Arizona REALTORS® resale purchase contract, the inspection period is 10 days after contract acceptance unless the buyer and seller agree to a different length. After the buyer delivers a BINSR, the seller has five days to respond, and the buyer then has five days to cancel or proceed. Always confirm the dates in your own contract.

Is a termite inspection required in Arizona?

No state law requires one for a sale, but many lenders do, including VA loans in Arizona, and termites are common across the state. The report, called a Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report, must be prepared by a pest control business licensed by the Arizona Department of Agriculture. I would order one even if your lender doesn’t require it.

Should I get an inspection on a brand-new home in Phoenix?

Yes, it is worth considering. New homes can still have installation defects, and an independent inspector works for you rather than the builder. Some buyers schedule an inspection before drywall goes up, another before closing, and a third before the builder’s warranty period ends. Check your builder contract for inspection access and timing.

Inspections are where a lot of buyers feel the most pressure, because so much happens in ten days. Halcyon Curry, who hadn’t bought a home in more than 20 years, wrote in a client review: “It was with Tim’s support and extensive market knowledge that I was able to take this step.”

Last updated: October 25, 2026

Tim Tiller, MSW, is a REALTOR® and team leader with Southwest Horizon Real Estate Services at Keller Williams Arizona Realty, focused on North Phoenix, Phoenix relocation, and senior transitions. His social work background shapes how he helps families make major moves with clarity and dignity. Read client reviews.

If you are getting ready to buy in Arizona, I can help you build an inspection plan for the specific home you are considering, line up the right inspections early, and think through what to ask the seller for once the reports come in. I am a real estate agent, not an inspector or contractor, so the inspections themselves come from licensed professionals you choose. See how I work with buyers, or reach out directly:

Tim Tiller, MSW | REALTOR®
Southwest Horizon Real Estate Services
Keller Williams Arizona Realty
602-805-7787 · tim@swhres.com