What You Need to Know About Massachusetts New Home Inspection Law

If you're thinking about buying a home in Massachusetts—or even just starting to dip your toes into the market—there’s a new law you should know about that could impact your next move.

Starting June 15, 2025, a new statewide law goes into effect that’s designed to protect homebuyers and make the home inspection process more fair and transparent. It’s officially called the Act Protecting Consumer Rights in Purchasing Safe and Habitable Homes, and it applies to any purchase agreement signed on or after July 15, 2025.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what the new law means for buyers:

• You can’t be forced to waive a home inspection.
  This might sound obvious, but until now, it was common for buyers to feel pressured to waive inspections to make their offer more competitive—especially in a hot market. With this new law, sellers can no longer make that a condition of the sale.
  
  
• You’ll have at least 10 days to schedule an inspection.
  Once your offer is accepted, you have a minimum of 10 days to complete your home inspection with a licensed professional (unless both parties agree to a different timeline in writing). That gives buyers more breathing room to make informed decisions.
  
  
• You can walk away if major issues are found.
  If your inspection uncovers serious problems, you’ll have the right to withdraw your offer during the inspection period without any financial penalty.
  
  
• Sellers who break the rules could face penalties.
  The law also includes civil penalties for sellers who don’t comply—so it’s not just a suggestion, it’s enforceable.
  

There are a few exceptions (like sales between family members or auctions), but for the majority of residential transactions, this is a big step toward protecting buyers and encouraging more transparency in the process.

At the end of the day, buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make. Having time—and the legal right—to fully understand the condition of the property you're buying shouldn't be a luxury. It should be a given.

If you have any questions about how this might affect your upcoming purchase, or you're just starting to explore your options, send me a text. Staying informed is the first step to making confident decisions in real estate.

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 📍 Real Estate Broker in Massachusetts & Rhode Island
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