By: Ognjen Prezzi
I can remember buying our first property before we got into the real estate business and honestly back then I didn’t know the importance of a good inspection. I just wanted everything to be ok so we could purchase the property. I didn’t know what questions to ask or what qualifications to seek. Unfortunately after our sale went through, we had some major issues that could have been solved had a more professional inspector been on site when our inspection was completed.
When you hire a home inspector, you really want him to find anything possibly wrong with the property, even if you have fallen with love with it. Not only you will avoid future surprises but a good inspection will find anything that needs to be corrected. Not only will you “know in advance the costs of the issues” but during the sales transaction it may be possible to negotiate out some of the “found” issues.
What are the factors for hiring a good Home Inspector?
References. Ask for a list of clients with numbers, so you can call and verify the references and their experiences. What better way to find out if the inspector is good than from past clients that are probably actually living in the properties that he inspected.
Sample Report. Ask for a sample report. Read the details and try to understand what is included in the report.
How long will it take to do inspection? It shouldn’t be less then 2 hours depending of the size of the property.
How long does it take to deliver the inspection report? You will definitely need someone who is thorough but can also provide a report in an efficient manner.
Proper training, education and certificates. Make sure the inspector meets the requirements of all laws or regulations in your state or province and if he has completed continuing education and additional training.
What kind of insurance? It is crucial that you home inspector carry insurance including general liability and Errors & Omissions insurance.
What are the most common defects that are found during home inspections:
Poor plumbing, drainage, insufficient and old electrical systems, heating/cooling system, minor structural damage, insect damage, inadequate insulation, fire safety & plain old poorly overall general maintenance.
More info on home inspectors:
http://www.homeinspections-usa.com/
Better to be safe than sorry! Trust me, I wish I had known in advance.
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