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Real Estate Information |
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8 Essential Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector
Congratulations! You've decided to purchase a home. We all know that when purchasing a home, every detail is an important one. And choosing a home inspector is no exception. It's critical to choose an inspector the same way you've chosen a real estate professional - very carefully! You'll get a great educational experience when you hire a professional with the right credentials. Working with a home inspector isn't complicated; however, unless armed with the right questions to ask, you may get stuck with a less than capable individual. Here are my top 8 questions to ask your next home inspector: It's great that your inspector is a nice person, but what did they do before inspecting homes? Do they bring a wealth of knowledge about the construction trades, building, or remodeling? Or were they a hairdresser in a previous life? Don't get me wrong, I'm not picking on hairdressers - but that occupation certainly doesn't have anything to do with inspecting a house! This question may not be applicable in all states - there are states without licensing requirements for home inspectors. But if your state has some kind of requirements, you need to know what they are, and where you can go to verify that your chosen inspector has done what it takes to be state-compliant. Verification is essential, because many states have the capability to track continuing education of the inspector as well as complaints. This is critical! ASHI is the oldest, largest, and most respected organization for home inspectors in the country. They also maintain the highest standards and ethics for home inspectors. If your inspector is a member of this organization, you can be sure that they have passed The National Home Inspectors Exam, and they have completed all training and administrative requirements for membership. You can even verify membership status at www.ASHI.org. The inspector may be a member of other organizations, but none have requirements as strict as ASHI. And don't be fooled by those companies who claim to inspect to "ASHI standards" - if they aren't a bonifide ASHI member, find another inspector. Longevity gives comfort that the inspector will be with you in the future as new needs and issues arise. But if he's only done 12 inspections during his several years in business, that's not good! Your home buying decision is far too important to be a practice place for a part-time inspector. All homes have some systems and features in common, but a brand new home has risks and issues that differ from an historic beauty from the year 1855. Only someone who has walked the walk and crawled the crawl numerous times in similar homes can sleuth out those important items that are specific to your age, size, and type of home. Your inspector should be capable of going and willing to go into those places where others fear to tread! These are the places that must be seen to best protect the customer. There a times when those locations cannot be completely inspected due to physical risk to the inspector, risk to the equipment, or seasonal limitations. But for the inspector to not inspect those locations because he doesn't want to, is scared of the dark, or is too ample to fit into those spaces is unacceptable. Often, the report will contain descriptions of damage or defect in locations of the home that only the inspector was able to access, like roof-tops or crawl spaces. You will want pictures of these areas to make your understanding of the scope and location of the damage clear. It also makes repairs simpler to get estimated when a photograph is available. Often the buying decision is time critical, you want to be sure you will receive your completed report in time to read, review, and respond. The best companies can deliver the report to you on-site, right at the home, just as the inspection is completed. Finally, be sure to attend the home inspection. There is no substitute for the complete inspection experience; the report generated is only a small piece of the inspection. When you attend the inspection, see the process, ask questions, and become educated about your home, you'll gain great comfort and confidence in your buying decision. Good luck, and happy home buying! Wally Conway is President of Florida HomePro Inspections, and has recently written a book entitled "Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector", available at GoHomePro.com or Amazon.com. Wally's expertise and experience has been sought after by HGTV's "House Detective", the Florida Times Union, and many real estate boards and associations. As a speaker, writer, instructor, and host of The Happy Home Inspector radio show every Saturday at 3 PM on WOKV 690, Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit http://www.WallyConway.com for more information!
MORE RESOURCES: How Jordon Hudson, 24, amassed $8 million real estate portfolio within months of meeting Bill Belichick New York Post Real estate transfers in Adams County from April 21-25, 2025 Muddy River News Real estate report: Three key factors are behind Louisiana’s surge in investment Baton Rouge Business Report Hyderabad blues: Real estate sales in city see biggest drop The Financial Express Status update: 7 Upstate commercial real estate projects upstate business journal ArchCrest opens new real estate division Northern Nevada Business Weekly Lupoli Companies to Break Ground on Major Development in Littleton Boston Real Estate Times Two key real estate bills take aim at industry regulations Real Estate News by RealEstateNews.com Advocacy Scoop: New NAR Poll Unveiled—Tax Reform, Real Estate Policy and Voter Opinion National Association of REALTORS® The Pipeline: Commercial real estate roundup for 5.2.25 Richmond BizSense Cattaraugus County: Ellicottville home, Machias property lead March real estate sales Olean Times Herald Fond du Lac County property sold for $530K in latest real estate transfers for April 21-25 fdlreporter.com Licking County real estate transfers for April 14-18 reach $1.4 million in Newark The Newark Advocate ThoughtCraft Architects Marks 20 Years of Design Excellence Boston Real Estate Times People on the Move: New execs at HomeServices, RE/MAX Real Estate News by RealEstateNews.com Urban Edge Signs First New Leases at Shoppers World Since Acquisition Boston Real Estate Times MassHousing Awards $1.55 Million to Create Affordable Homeownership in Malden Boston Real Estate Times Rockland Trust to Open New Corporate Headquarters in Rockland, MA Boston Real Estate Times Things to know about SW Florida real estate with Call It Closed International Realty Gulf Coast News and Weather - Southwest Florida News Mid-America Real Estate closes sale of 34,431-square-foot shopping center in Midtown Detroit REJournals Ranking Arizona: Top real estate law firms for 2025 AZ Big Media LOCAL REAL ESTATE TODAY 5.2.25 KQEN News Radio Richland County property transfers recorded April 21-25 Mansfield News Journal Mahoning County Real Estate Sales: $200K+, May 2025 Business Journal Daily At $16.5 million, Palm Beach sale is the biggest townhouse deal of the winter season Palm Beach Daily News Startup radar: Seattle-area tech companies build software for robotics, real estate, and more GeekWire Real estate veteran named president of regional Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hartford Business Journal Crossing Real Estate: They Shaved Another $50k off the $1.25 Million Fishtown House - Crossing Broad Property transfers: Nursing facility, rental complex sell for more than $1 million Canton Repository Alexandria Real Estate Equities Looks Juicy But Uncertainty Keeps Me Sidelined (NYSE:ARE) Seeking Alpha Household Struggles Weigh On Real Estate And Spending Seeking Alpha Raith seeks to raise $700m for non-core US real estate fund IPE Real Assets Blackstream opens luxury office near Lake Keowee GSA Business Report Welcome to Real Estate Friday! The Berkshire Edge Current Real Estate Roundup - May 1, 2025 Nantucket Current Quarles Adds Calamita as Public Finance, Real Estate Partner Bloomberg Law News Solano Real Estate Scene: Slow down, buy a house Daily Republic Franklin Real Estate Development finds inspiration in Greenville’s history upstate business journal April real estate transactions CraigDailyPress.com Secluded estate near Ann Arbor is Washtenaw County's most expensive home. Price: $8.99M Detroit Free Press 'Slow and steady': How a couple retired early by buying one rental property a year with 5% down payments Business Insider Job Market Defies Tariff Fears to Remain Strong in April, Offering Jolt of Confidence to Homebuyers Realtor.com Ballard Spahr Hires Jill Parks as Washington Real Estate Partner Bloomberg Law News Solano Real Estate Transactions: May 2, 2025 Daily Republic Berkshire region real estate sales – May 2, 2025 The Berkshire Edge Exclusive: Trump's first real estate project in Qatar to be announced by Qatari Diar, Dar Global Reuters Places This Week: A waterfront estate in Dunedin St Pete Catalyst Bond Market Outlook for 2025 by Morgan Stanley Norada Real Estate Investments Mortgage Rates Drop and Remain Below 7% for 15 Straight Weeks Norada Real Estate Investments Real estate performance in Quarter 1, and some perspective Garden City News A New Perspective: Oh, Deer! | Real Estate Insights Piedmont Exedra Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (APYRF) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: ... - Yahoo CENTURY 21 Real Estate and Institute for Luxury Home Marketing Launch Collaboration With New Q1 2025 Luxury Market Report Franchising.com How the Dallas Commercial Real Estate Industry Could Fare in the New Tariff Environment - D Magazine SDSU: SDSU Imperial Valley alumnus finds new meaning in real estate career Imperial Valley Press Online Here's what local experts say the Baton Rouge real estate market will look like in 2025 The Advocate Today’s Mortgage Rates – May 2, 2025: Rates Are Down 46 Basis Points From Last Year Norada Real Estate Investments Graham Norton’s Manhattan Carriage House Is Listed for $5.595 Million The New York Times Abundant listings and stable prices not enough to drive April sales in the Fraser Valley GlobeNewswire Costar Group (CSGP): “Bloomberg Of Commercial Real Estate” Insider Monkey What's the most expensive property sold in Rhode Island? May 2 real estate transactions The Providence Journal Real Estate: Market Pulse (April 2025) Seyfarth Shaw LLP Real Estate Magnolia Reporter Down payments are the biggest homeownership hurdle. Why is Washington making them scarcer? USA Today |
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