OREF 058 Has Changed—Here’s How Inspections Are Handled Now

Q:  With the removal of OREF 058 – Professional Inspection Addendum and its replacement with OREF 058 – Advisory to Buyer Regarding Due Diligence, where should buyers and agents now identify requested inspections and who is responsible for paying for them? 

A:  Section 12.2(a) of OREF 001 – Residential Real Estate Sale Agreement contains the standard inspection contingency language. It provides that, during the inspection period, the buyer may obtain any inspections they choose at their own expense, without having to list them in advance—unless the inspection is invasive.     

This approach gives buyers flexibility. They can decide, as inspections are completed, whether additional evaluations are needed, and arrange them without first needing the seller’s approval.  

If a buyer wants the seller to pay for a specific inspection, that arrangement would need to be negotiated separately, typically in Section 29 – Additional Provisions.

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