what is a material defect
A material defect is a specific issue with a system or component of a residential property that may have a significant, adverse impact on the value of the property, or that poses an unreasonable risk to people. It is the inspector's own experience and judgment that enable him/her to make the ultimate decision to call out a defect as material, which is why there is no specific photo or lengthy checklist that can teach or tell the inspector what constitutes one (although we've made an effort for purposes of this article).