When you
purchase a home you are usually making the biggest investment of your
life. Would you want to take a gamble
on your biggest investment? Of
course not. That’s why you need to
find a really good home inspector who can inform you about the true condition
of the house you are buying, thereby removing some of the risk.
Here are three things to look for in a
good home inspector:
1. Expertise
1. Expertise
Some states
do not require any type of licensing or certification for home inspectors. This
means that anyone could call themselves a home inspector, show up, look around
a house, and then charge your credit card. Even in many of the states that do require licensing for
inspectors the licensing requirements are still minimal. You need to look for an inspector who
is certified through a national organization such as the American Society of
Home Inspectors (ASHI), or NACHI (the Nation Association of Certified Home
Inspectors). These organizations
have entry requirements and continuing education requirements for all of their
members.
2. Time
You want to
find an inspector who will take time to answer any questions you have about the
home. If the inspector is too busy
to talk to you on the phone or does not want you at the inspection, then find
another inspector. Sometimes
inspectors overbook their schedule, thereby leaving a very short window of time
for each inspection. Ask the
inspector how long they think the inspection will take. If they give you an estimate of less
than three hours, then find another inspector. Unless the house is small, a good home inspection will take
at least three hours.
3. Clarity
Go to the
inspector’s website and look at a sample inspection report. You want to find an inspector who will
write a well-organized, easy-to-read report. Many home inspectors have technical expertise but are
lacking in the ability to communicate clearly. If you can’t understand your inspection report then how will
you know the true condition of the house you are considering buying? An organized report with lots of
pictures is essential.
If you can
find a home inspector who is an expert in the field, who will give you his
time, and will clearly communicate the true condition of the house, then you
will take a big step toward protecting your biggest investment.
