Home Inspections in the Northland

North of the river, our inspectors cover Kearney, Smithville, North Kansas City, Riverside and Pleasant Valley. These towns sit side by side, but a 2006 two-story in Kearney and a 1950s home in North Kansas City need different things from an inspection.

Schedule Online · Call 816-343-9562

Home inspections start at $329, and Bundle & Save starts at $716 with a termite inspection, radon test, sewer camera inspection and floor plan included. You get a photo report, usually the same day, and a 30-day home warranty with every home inspection.

Five Northland towns, five kinds of houses

Here’s what we usually find when we inspect in each town. These notes describe the homes we see. They’re not a census of every house.

• Kearney. Founded in 1869 as Centerville, Kearney is known as the birthplace and burial place of Jesse James (KCUR). Most of the homes we inspect here were built after 2000, and two-stories and ranches show up in equal numbers. Most have full basements, and about 1 in 5 has a walk-out. Buying new? See our new construction and 11-month warranty inspections.
• Smithville. Smithville was one of Missouri’s fastest-growing towns in the 1990s and early 2000s (KCUR), and that’s when most of the homes we inspect here were built. Ranches are the most common style. Walk-out basements are common on the rolling lots, and now and then we inspect an earth-contact home.
• North Kansas City. Planned in 1912 as its own city and almost completely surrounded by Kansas City, MO (KCUR). The houses we inspect here are mostly older homes from the 1920s through the 1950s, plus some newer infill.
• Riverside. A mix of newer construction and older homes. We see the full range, from recent builds to houses from the 1960s.
• Pleasant Valley. Mostly 1950s homes and 1980s-era houses, many with basements.

What we find in Northland homes

All Northland homes in our data are pooled here. North Kansas City, Riverside and Pleasant Valley are too small to compare on their own, so we pool every Northland home in our data here. Here’s how the Northland compares with all the Kansas City-area homes we’ve inspected, and what each finding means for a buyer:

• Yard slopes water toward the house: 163 of 261 homes (62%), about the same as the 65% area-wide, but 86 of them were rated a Major Concern. Hillside lots and walk-outs put more of the foundation in the path of runoff. Regrading the soil and extending downspouts are usually the first fixes.
• Worn or damaged roof shingles: 122 of 261 (47%), vs. 52% area-wide, with 31 rated a Major Concern. Many Northland homes built in the 2000s are now on their first or second roof. We note what we see so you can plan for repair or replacement.
• Signs of water leaks, current or past: 97 of 261 (37%), close to the 36% area-wide, with 39 rated a Major Concern. We show each spot so a plumber or roofer can confirm whether it’s still active.
• Engineered wood siding swelling or rotting: 79 of 261 (30%), vs. 33% area-wide. It’s common on 1990s–2010s homes. Repairs usually mean replacing boards, painting, caulking and keeping the bottom edge clear of soil and roofs.
• Water heater venting problems or near end of life: 71 of 261 (27%), with 14 rated a Major Concern. We note the age and venting so you can budget for a replacement.
• Deck not properly attached or flashed at the house: 54 of 261 (21%), vs. 20% area-wide. Walk-out homes usually have a tall deck, so the connection at the house matters for safety.

Some findings are less common north of the river. Signs of water getting into the basement turned up in 23% of Northland homes, vs. 33% area-wide. The foundation had moved, whether repaired or still showing movement, in 15%, vs. 21%. Older cloth-covered or aluminum wiring turned up in 6%, vs. 14%. Those older-home findings cluster in the older parts of the Northland, so we still check for them in every home.

Based on 261 Inspect KC inspections in the Northland, data through October 21, 2026.

Want the metro-wide view? Read our 2026 Kansas City home inspection findings.

Newer subdivisions and older neighborhoods

A newer Kearney or Smithville home isn’t problem-free just because it’s newer. At 15 to 25 years old, the roof, water heater, siding, deck and grading all start to need attention, and any builder’s warranty is long gone. In North Kansas City, Pleasant Valley and older parts of Riverside, we spend more time on wiring, supply pipes, chimneys and the basement or foundation walls. Either way, we tell you what’s urgent, what’s normal upkeep and what to budget for.

Sewer lines and radon north of the river

Sewer. Sewer rules and permits vary from city to city north of the river, so check with the city before any line repair. Before you buy, a sewer camera inspection ($200 with your home inspection) shows roots, cracks, sags and separated joints between the house and the main. These problems are more likely in older lines, but newer lines can have them too. You get the video with your report.

Radon. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports radon in every county in the state, and 1 in 3 homes tested in its residential program came in above the recommended action level of 4.0 pCi/L (Missouri DHSS radon). Our radon testing partner uses KDHE-certified radon measurement technicians with continuous monitors that take hourly readings over a 48-hour minimum. It starts at $150 with your inspection.

Northland Inspection Services & Pricing

Your price depends on the home’s size, age and the services you add. You’ll see your exact total when you book in our online scheduler, or see the full pricing page.

Your Northland inspection team

• Bryan Standley, owner, is a Certified Master Inspector® and InterNACHI certified, and he trains every inspector on our team.
• Tylor Standley and Aiden Finlan are InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspectors, so we have the schedule to fit your inspection period in the Northland.
• Laura Jarrell, our office manager, answers questions about scheduling, reports and add-on services. Meet the whole team.
• We don’t do repairs or sell contractor services, so nothing in your report is a sales pitch.

Recent inspections in the Northland

Nearby areas we serve

We also have city pages for Gladstone, Liberty, Parkville and Kansas City, MO. See all the areas we serve.

How we counted: based on a sample of 261 homes we inspected through October 2026. Northland numbers are pooled from every Northland home in our data: Kearney, Smithville, North Kansas City, Riverside and Pleasant Valley, plus Gladstone, Liberty and Parkville. Kansas City, MO addresses are not included. Area-wide comparisons use all the Kansas City-area homes we’ve inspected.

Northland Home Inspection FAQ

Ready to Schedule Your Northland Home Inspection?

Book online or call our office, and we’ll find a time that fits your inspection period.

Schedule Now · Call 816-343-9562

See all the areas we serve · Inspect KC home