Your Home Inspector - More Like Fred Flintstone Than Sherlock Holmes?
June 4th, 2008 categories: Military Installations, Relocating, Repairs
Whether or not a Home Inspection is worth the expense, is an issue that usually prompts a good discussion among prospective home owners. According to some, like a recent client of mine, the inspection is an unnecessary expense that does little more than make a buyer “feel good” about their purchase. But if that’s true, if home inspections are nothing more than a false sense of security, why do some many home buyers, or home sellers, get them done? Are Home Inspections worth it?
First, in any service industry, some professionals are better than others, more competent, more thorough, more professional. Last year, I worked side by side with a home builder who never put down his tools until the job was “just right.” Calling him a “perfectionist” would be an understatement! The same goes for home inspectors. So, make sure the one you hire comes with recommendations - good ones. If you choose to go it alone in choosing an inspector, then make sure you ask some important questions. How long have they been in the business? Are they licensed and certified? If so, with whom? National Home Inspector certification through organizations like the Amercian Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI), & National Assocation of Home Inspectors (NAHI), requires their members to adhere to strict standards of practice or conduct.
Second, while home inspections aren’t a perfect science, they are the primary means a buyer protects themselves from getting stuck with a “lemon” when purchasing a property. The Home Inspection Contingency in the Virginia sales contract is designed to protect the buyer. Based upon the Home Inspection, the contingency allows the buyer to:
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Request the seller make the needed repairs
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Re-negotiate the price
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Void the contract
The price re-negotiation is a direct result of the discrepancies found in the inspection. But, at the end of the day, if seller and buyer cannot resolve what needs to be done, then the purchaser can void the contract and move on to their other home choices.
Third, in today’s buyer’s market, the home inspection shouldn’t cost the buyer a thing. With the glut of homes on the market, and home inspections running $250-$350, the sellers will probably be more than happy to pay for the home inspection in order to ratify a contract.
Few things can affect the value of a home more than property discrepancies found after the fact. For many buyers, the expertise required to find these hidden problems are best left to a qualified Home Inspector. 
They have the training and detailed experience necessary to detect even small problems before they become your problems. A certified professional is worth their weight in gold when it comes to ensuring a home doesn’t have any hidden surprises. So, take your time and do the necessary research before choosing your Home Inspector, because the last thing you want is one that reminds you more of Fred Flinststone than Sherlock Holmes.
