Selling a house in SoCal: the electrical inspection

When a house goes under contract in California, the buyer usually hires a general home inspector. That inspector opens the panel, tests a sample of outlets and looks for unsafe or old wiring. Anything flagged goes into a report, and the report drives repair requests.

Knowing what gets flagged lets a seller fix the right things before listing.

What the buyer’s inspector checks

Inspectors work from the outside in. They usually cover:

• the service and meter, including the mast and any damage
• the panel, with the cover off, looking at brand, breakers, wire sizes and signs of heat
• a sample of outlets and switches for grounding, polarity and GFCI protection
• smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• the attic, crawlspace and garage for visible wiring
• additions and conversions that look unpermitted

A general inspector is not an electrician. If something looks wrong, the report says “further evaluation by a licensed electrician,” and that is when the buyer sends an electrician in.

What a seller must disclose

California requires sellers of one-to-four-unit homes to complete the Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement under Civil Code 1102.6. It asks about known defects in systems such as electrical wiring. Disclose what you know. Hiding a known problem is a bigger risk than the repair.

The disclosure form is not an inspection. Some cities have their own resale or occupancy reports, so call the building department. The permits guide explains how city counters work.

Items that cause the most trouble

Finding	Why it matters	Where to read more
Zinsco or Federal Pacific panel	Electricians commonly replace them; buyers often ask	Zinsco and FPE panels
Aluminum branch wiring	Loose connections can overheat	Aluminum wiring risks
Knob and tube wiring	Old insulation, no ground, often buried in insulation	Knob-and-tube replacement
Double-tapped breakers, open junction boxes	Easy to fix, easy to flag	Inspections and code fixes
Missing GFCI or reversed outlets	Cheap fix, common write-up	GFCI and AFCI
Missing or dead smoke and CO detectors	Required safety item	Smoke and CO detectors
Unpermitted work	Buyer and lender may ask to legalize	Ask the city

If the report names a Zinsco or Federal Pacific panel, the replacement cost page shows the range before you negotiate.

Should you get your own inspection first?

A pre-listing visit by a licensed electrician costs a few hundred dollars and gives you a list. In a typical SoCal range as of October 2026, an inspection visit plus common corrections runs $300 to $1,500 (a desk estimate; see the inspection cost page). That is small beside the price of a surprise during escrow.

What you get from it:

1. A list of safety issues, ranked.
2. A quote you can show the buyer.
3. A chance to fix cheap items quietly.
4. A written statement if something is repaired.

Fix, credit or sell as-is

Think of three choices.

Fix before listing. Best for small, clear items: covers, GFCIs, detectors, loose fixtures. These take little time and remove easy objections.

Offer a credit. Often better for large jobs. A panel replacement is the usual example. A typical 200 amp swap runs $2,500 to $4,500 in SoCal as of October 2026. A credit lets the buyer choose the electrician and timing. Your agent can tell you how buyers in your area react.

Sell as-is. Possible, but the buyer will still inspect and may ask for a lower price. Disclose what you know.

Permits and paperwork

Work you do before listing should have a permit and a final inspection signed off. That signed card is the record buyers and lenders look for. Keep the permit, the electrician’s invoice and any warranty from the electrician, and hand them over with the disclosure packet.

If you inherited work you suspect is unpermitted, such as a garage conversion or a subpanel, ask the building department what it takes to legalize it. Some cities allow a permit after the fact with an inspection. Others ask for open-wall review. The answer varies, so ask before you list.

When an inspector’s note means a real hazard

Most write-ups are minor. A few are not. If the report mentions scorch marks, a buzzing breaker, warm outlets or a panel that is rusted or wet, treat it as a safety issue and have an electrician in right away. See what an electrical quote should include before you compare bids.