New Massachusetts Home Inspection Law: What Buyers, Sellers, and Agents Need to Know
- Cosmic Property Inspections
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
By Cosmic Property Inspections | Springfield, MA
Why This Law Matters Now
Buying a home, whether it's your first or your fifth, is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. That’s why Massachusetts is taking a bold step forward with a new home inspection law going into effect on October 15, 2025, aimed at ensuring every buyer has a fair opportunity to inspect the home they’re purchasing—without pressure, without waiving rights, and without hidden risks.
At Cosmic Property Inspections, we’ve seen first hand how critical it is to have a thorough, unbiased inspection. Our job isn’t just to look at homes—it’s to protect the people who live in them.
A Quick Overview of the New Law (760 CMR 74.00)
Massachusetts starting October 15th 2025, prohibits sellers (and their agents) from:
Requiring buyers to waive a home inspection as a condition of an accepted offer
Accepting offers that have pre-agreed waivers
Including language in the contract that would render an inspection meaningless, like tight time limits or no right to cancel
Instead, buyers must be clearly informed in writing of their right to a home inspection before signing any contract and they must be given adequate time to complete one.
This applies to 1–4 unit residential homes, condos, and co-ops. Exceptions exist (like sales between family members, foreclosures, and some new construction), but for most buyers, especially first-timers and familys, this law is a game changer.
Real-World Examples: What’s At Stake
We recently performed an inspection for a first-time homebuyer here in Western Massachusetts. On the surface, the house looked great—updated siding, newer kitchen, clean basement. But our inspection revealed:
A heavily patched roof likely nearing the end of its service life
A 6-year-old A/C unit that wasn’t functioning
A furnace with a cracked heat exchanger—a condition that could pose serious safety risks if left undetected
The buyer was incredibly grateful. Not just for the savings on potential repairs, but for the peace of mind. Without this inspection, she could have moved into a home with significant safety issues and repair bills waiting just beyond closing.
In another recent case, we inspected a four-family multi-unit property for an investor. It had great income potential, but the attic told another story—open exposure to the elements and extensive contamination from birds nesting. The entire attic will now need to be cleaned, repairs made to prevent entry and re-insulated. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a deal-changer and one the buyer was glad to catch before the paperwork was final.
Why This Law Aligns with What We Do
The value of a professional home inspection isn’t just technical, it’s educational, financial, and emotional. It gives buyers a third-party expert to walk through the home, uncover the hidden details, and offer a grounded, unbiased opinion on what’s really going on.
This law doesn’t make inspections mandatory, it simply ensures that no buyer is pressured to skip it or rushed into signing away that right.
At Cosmic Property Inspections, we welcome this change. It affirms what we already believe: that inspections protect people, not just properties. helping people understand what they are buying is one of our core values. It's why we love our job!
Final Thoughts: Why This Law Is Really About People
At the end of the day, this law isn’t just about contracts or compliance—it’s about giving people the space and support to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives with confidence.
A home isn’t just a structure, it’s where you raise your family and build memories. Whether it's a first-time buyer unsure of what to look for, or a couple buying their next home as there family grows, they deserve time, information, and guidance to make the right choice.
I’ve walked through homes with clients who were overwhelmed, hopeful, nervous and sometimes relieved after learning what the inspection uncovered. In every case, the goal isn’t to scare anyone or complicate things, it to keep things in to presepctive, so people can move forward with clarity.
That’s what this law supports and that’s what we’re here to do.
If you’re unsure about how this law affects you, your client, or your next step, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions. Helping people understand their homes and their rights, is why we do what we do.
