🏠 Point of Sale Inspections in Northeast Ohio

What Sellers (and Buyers!) MUST Know Before Listing a Home in the Cleveland Area

If you are selling a home in Greater Cleveland or across Northeast Ohio, you may be surprised to learn that many cities require a city-mandated “Point of Sale Inspection” before you are legally allowed to transfer ownership.

Yes — in some cities, you cannot even list your home until the inspection is completed.

I’m Mike Ferrante, Realtor with Century 21 HomeStar and the 21 Mike Team, serving Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and Central Ohio.
➡️ Have a real estate need? Visit 21Mike.com and click the button at the top to schedule an appointment
➡️ Agents curious about the team? Email Mike@21Mike.com

❓ What Is a Point of Sale Inspection?

A Point of Sale (POS) inspection is a city-required inspection completed before a property can transfer ownership. Depending on the city, the inspection may include:

Exterior only
Interior and exterior
Sewer dye or camera tests
Code and safety compliance checks

Cities use POS inspections to maintain property standards and prevent homes from deteriorating. Their reasoning is usually this:

“POS inspections help preserve property values and housing quality for the entire city.”

📍 Where Does This Apply?

Many cities in Greater Cleveland require POS inspections — especially cities with “Heights” in the name. Examples include:

Shaker Heights
Cleveland Heights
Maple Heights
Garfield Heights
Euclid
Lakewood
South Euclid
University Heights

(Some cities have removed POS requirements after legal challenges — like Bedford and Oakwood Village — but most still enforce POS inspections.)

👉 If you’d like the full list of POS cities, email: info@21mike.com

🛠 What Happens During the Inspection?

A city inspector visits the property and issues a written report that may include:

Electrical or panel box issues
Cracked or heaving concrete / sidewalks / driveways
Peeling paint (common in pre-1978 homes because of lead-safe requirements)
Damaged roofing or gutters
Missing GFCI outlets
Handrail or safety issues

⚠️ Important: POS inspections are NOT substitutes for private home inspections.

They only focus on code violations, not condition, lifespan, or maintenance issues.

💰 Who Pays for Repairs?

This is where negotiations come into play.

There are three typical paths:

Option	Who Handles Repairs?
✅ Seller fixes violations	Seller hires contractors and completes repairs before closing
🔄 Buyer assumes violations	Buyer agrees to take responsibility after closing
💵 Escrow holdback	Buyer or seller deposits funds with the title company until repairs are completed

Some cities allow buyers to assume repairs — others require repairs to be completed BEFORE closing.

⏰ Timing is EVERYTHING

Biggest mistake sellers make: waiting to order the POS inspection.

Why that matters:

The city may take days or weeks to schedule the inspection.
If there are repairs, you need time to get quotes and complete work.
If re-inspection is required, that adds more time.

We see deals get delayed — or fall apart — simply because the POS was started too late.

Pro Tip:
Order POS before hitting the market.
A clean report is marketing gold: “POS violations cleared — ready to transfer!”

💡 Why You Should NOT Delay

Some sellers worry:
“What if I decide not to sell after getting the inspection?”

Once the city issues violations, they may require repairs even if you don’t sell.
They can send housing court notices and levy fines until the violations are resolved.

You can’t hide from it.