Time-of-Sale (TOS) housing inspection program

The Time-of-Sale Housing Inspection Program provides potential purchasers with information about the condition of a dwelling and requires the correction of immediate hazards. An inspection and a report are required for all houses, townhomes, condominiums and mobile homes offered for sale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What dwelling units are affected?

All single and two-family dwellings, condominiums, townhouses and mobile homes are included. Multi-family rental buildings over 4 units are not included.

When must the property be inspected?

The property must be inspected and a report form completed prior to offering the property for sale. The Housing Evaluation Report must be available for review by potential purchasers at all times that the property is offered for sale.

Who does the inspection?

The seller can choose to have the City of Bloomington perform the inspection or they can select from the list of independent evaluators licensed by the City of Bloomington.

What does an evaluator do?

The evaluator will examine:

The dwelling's visible structural elements.
Heating, electrical and plumbing systems.
Other components of construction.
Accessible, unoccupied areas such as attics and crawl spaces, but will not take apart any building components.

Problems hidden in inaccessible areas cannot be identified.

How much does it cost?

The fee for the City to perform the inspection is $185. If paying by VISA, Mastercard, or Discover, you can arrange for the inspection by phone. You will need to contact the independent evaluators directly for fees, as the fees they charge are not regulated by the City of Bloomington and can vary.

Must all identified problems be repaired?

No. Only items which pose an immediate hazard to the occupants of the structure are required to be repaired. Other deficiencies will be noted in the Housing Evaluation Report, but will not require correction.

How are corrections of hazardous items monitored?

When hazardous items are identified by the inspector, the City of Bloomington will follow up to determine whether the hazardous condition has been corrected.

When must corrections of hazardous conditions be completed?

Hazardous conditions must be corrected and approved by the City before the dwelling is occupied. A copy of the Certificate of Approval, which is issued immediately if there are no hazards or after reinspection by the City if hazards were found, is usually required at closing. If the dwelling is already occupied, corrective action shall be taken by the owner or agent of the owner.

Is the evaluation a warranty?

No. The evaluation is not a guarantee or warranty. The Housing Evaluation Report will be completed through visual inspection of the property. The inspector cannot guarantee that problems will not occur after the inspection.

For more information, contact:

Building and Inspection Division
PH: 952-563-8930, TTY: 952-563-8740, Fax: 952-563-8949
E-mail: Building and Inspections Division