It is not always obvious, especially to the first-time home buyer, the reasoning and importance of the home inspection. Therefore, the real estate licensee must know and understand the basic requirements of the property inspection and the responsibilities of the licensed inspectors. Some of the areas discussed are the basic fundamentals of the exterior components of real property as well as the interior housing construction; the procedure for inspecting heating and cooling systems; and warning signs of potential problem areas including mold and other environmental hazards.